Higher risks
by Taintless
Summary: Jenny's flipped, and Julian's back, as dangerous and deadly as ever, and he wants to play another game. The risks are higher. Can Jenny really win The Shadow man's new game? FINISHED NOW. THIS IS THE END!!!
1. Default Chapter

Part 1  
  
Where was she?  
  
I'm back, Jenny. I'm back. But where are you? I've waited so long to see your beautiful face again. Don't keep me waiting.  
  
He could see Summer, laughing and dancing wildly to the music. He could see Zach, lurking in the shadows, watching but never joining in, Zach was always a loner.  
  
He could see Michael twirling Audrey and Audrey's face smiling as the couple enjoyed themselves.  
  
He saw Dee and, his fists clenched in anger, Tommy sitting at a table, talking.  
  
But Jenny wasn't here.  
  
He scanned the room with narrow blue eyes. Had she seen him already? Had she ran away?  
  
He felt angry then. Jenny shouldn't run away from him.  
  
No, he thought. She wouldn't have left her friends. Jenny's one weak point was her friends. She would have wanted to protect them.  
  
So, where was she?  
  
He heard bits of conversations around him, but one caught his attention. They were two girls; one had a long nose and looked like a horse. The other had beady eyes and swirls of frizz for hair.  
  
"Where's Jenny Thorton? I thought they were a big gang. You think she'd turn up for Dee's seventeenth birthday party." Frizz asked.  
  
"Maybe she had to stay home and look out for, what did she call them, shadow men? Did you hear that story? It was something like the bogeyman was after her friends, her especially." Horse laughed.  
  
The two girls giggled.  
  
"I never liked her anyway. She threw good pool parties, though. I could never see what that stud, Tom Locke, saw in her anyway." Frizz said.  
  
"Yeah," Horse agreed. "I mean, she isn't that pretty. Anyway, I've seen Tom looking at me. I mean, compares to Jenny, I'm a super model."  
  
Julian turned to have a proper look at the two ugly girls, not believing his ears. Them. Prettier than Jenny?  
  
The thought was enough to make him laugh. He surveyed the horse one again just for the second laugh.  
  
"See what I mean," Said Horse quietly but he could still hear. "Look at the God for a guy checking me out over there. He'd never check Jenny out." She nudged Frizz and pointed over at him.  
  
Julian smiled at them. The two girls smiled back. God, he thought, they were even uglier when they smiled. Horse's lips went over her teeth and Frizz's lips sunk into her fat cheeks making her look like she had no mouth.  
  
Again he thought of Jenny's smile. He needed to see her.  
  
But for now, he wanted to have some fun, release some of his anger.  
  
He walked over to the girls.  
  
"Hi." Frizz said.  
  
"Hi." He said with a flash of his teeth. "This party's boring. Want to go out and find somewhere nice to eat?"  
  
"What's your name?" Asked Horse.  
  
"Julian."  
  
"Well, Julian," Horse said. "I'm Marie and she's," She pointed at Frizz. "Annabelle. I'll just tell Dee I'm going."  
  
"She won't even notice you're gone. She's talking to Tom Locke." Julian said.  
  
Horse thought about it and nodded. "Let's go."  
  
They walked out onto the street and Julian again looked around for Jenny, she wasn't there. The street was deserted. Music from inside blared out onto the street.  
  
"You know," said Frizz. She's a bit of a tag along, Julian thought. "I think there might be something going on with Dee and Tom. I mean, they're always talking."  
  
"Yeah and with Jenny out of the picture. Why does Tom always go for the ugly girls?"  
  
Again Julian had the mad urge to laugh. Dee was hardly ugly and these girls, well.  
  
"Jenny?" Julian prompted.  
  
"Yeah, Jenny Thorton. Girl in my computer class. Oh yeah," Horse turned to Frizz. "Remember when she freaked out last May? She thought the plug of the computer was a snake or something." She looked at Julian and pulled a face. "She's Tom's ex, I think. I mean, they never broke up but after Jenny went weird, they were never seen together. She is a complete lunatic."  
  
Julian's eyes flashed angrily but he didn't let that emotion come out, not yet. He had to find out more.  
  
"What do you mean, she went weird?" They thought he was just asking out of idle curiosity. Julian was always a good actor.  
  
"Oh, you know, she went mad. She went on about eyes watching her and the shadows jumping out at her. I kind of feel sorry for her, you know, because she really believed it. I thought she was doing it for attention but well, people got a bit horrible to her and she didn't stop. I mean, the things people were doing to her, you'd stop if you were pretending. Well, I don't know. It was obviously all in her head but she used to be so normal, so organised. I would go as far as saying she was dull and then, bang; she's a nutcase." Horse liked to talk.  
  
Julian was clenching and unclenching his fists in rage. People were being mean to Jenny? His Jenny?  
  
If he had been there, he would have killed them all.  
  
"How long ago was all this?" Julian asked.  
  
"Oh, well, its been happening for two months, I suppose." Frizz said.  
  
"Is that why she didn't come to the party?" Julian asked.  
  
"I don't know, anyway, it doesn't matter. Who cares about Jenny Thorton and her screwed up head? I want to hear about you."  
  
"Well," He said and let his anger flow. "It seems that Jenny's told you enough about me, already."  
  
"What?" Horse said and her face bungled up into a horrible knot of features.  
  
He spun around to face her and pulled her towards him. "Eyes watching her, shadows jumping out at her." He said in a deadly cold voice.  
  
Horse's face scrunched up with confusion. "Jenny's crazy. Don't tell me you believe in that crap?"  
  
"Jenny Thorton is not crazy. She was trying to warn you, warn you about me." His eyes burned brightly and anger swam off him in waves.  
  
"You should have listened to her."  
  
Annabelle screamed and ran away while Horse tried to escape. He didn't let her, though.  
  
She would be the first to pay. 


	2. Ch2

Part two  
After Julian had had his fun and listened to enough screams, he located Jenny and was shocked to see her in the nearest mental hospital. He watched her from the shadows.  
  
"Dear one, listen to me." Mrs. Thorton cried.  
  
Jenny shook her head and put her hands over her ears.  
  
"Fine, fine. Jenny, if that's the way you want it to be." Her mom was angry now.  
  
"Jenny, please." Joey begged. "Just listen, or talk to us."  
  
Jenny put her blazing green eyes on her brother and shook her head.  
  
"Talk to us," Mr. Thorton said in a stern voice though his eyes were watery. "Or we'll go and leave you alone."  
  
"No." Jenny said and scrambled over to her father and grasped onto his hand. "No. Don't leave me alone or he will, he will come and."  
  
"Who, Jenny? Who are you talking about?"  
  
"I'm talking about him." Jenny never said his name. She could never say that name.  
  
"Oh," Joey said and sighed. "Him." They had all heard the story before and they didn't want to hear it again.  
  
"Why don't you believe me?" She whined.  
  
"Jenny, even Tom and the others say that never happened." Her father said in an exasperated voice.  
  
Jenny's voice rose until she was nearly screeching. "But it did, it did."  
  
"No it didn't, Jenny. Summer is back now and all your friends are getting on fine."  
  
"They are cowards." Jenny said spitefully. "They don't want to remember but we have to tell everyone. I have to tell everyone. I have to warn them of the Shadow World."  
  
"Jenny, look at me in the eye." Said her father. "And repeat after me, The Shadow World does not exist."  
  
Jenny felt hot tears roll down her face. She closed her eyes and shook her head.  
  
"That's enough for today." Said a doctor from the corner. "Jenny has had enough."  
  
"No, Joey, stay with me." She turned to her younger brother and grasped onto his leg. "Don't go." She pleaded.  
  
Joey looked terrified. He pried his sister off his leg and said, "I'm sorry, Jenny."  
  
"No." She screamed as they all walked out of the room, leaving her. "Don't leave me alone." She sat down on the bed and looked around wildly. "Don't leave me alone, in the dark." The light clicked off. "Don't leave me with the shadows."  
  
They left her alone and Jenny sobbed into her hard cold pillow.  
  
Julian watched, horrified. He had died at the end of the third game and he had pictured her happy. He had pictured her surrounded by her friends and family.  
  
He hadn't pictured this.  
  
Her hair, which she normally kept perfectly, was in rags around her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and wild. She was unusually skinny and her cheekbones had sunk into her face. She looked like a skeleton, a victim of a famine and she looked insane.  
  
This is what I did to her.  
  
He couldn't talk to her now. He wasn't able for it yet.  
  
"Thorny, listen to me." Tom said desperately. Julian watched in the shadows and had to admit that he had a small tinge of pleasure when he saw Jenny shaking her head and ignoring Tom.  
  
"Look, it never happened. Julian doesn't exist." Tom said.  
  
Jenny, this time, looked at him and said sharply. "Be a man, Tom. It did happen and you know it. We have to warn everyone."  
  
"Jenny, we are not going down the same road you did. People think you're mad. Jenny, if you heard what they were saying."  
  
"Yeah, I heard, Tom. I heard everything. Remember that I was there when they started. I was there when Yvonne threw her milk on me. I was there when Sarah said that her little sister was afraid of me. I was there when Bill tried to beat me up. I was there when they called me a psycho, Tom. I was there when my friends turned their backs on me and let me face it alone."  
  
"We didn't turn our backs on you, Jenny. It's just."  
  
"What, Tom? What? How can you say that the Shadow World isn't real? How can you say that after all I went through to save you in all the games? Yes, Tom. I saved you. Not the other way around and I don't see you returning the favour."  
  
"Well, what do you expect me to do?" Tom said savagely. "Come in and act insane to keep you company."  
  
"Shut up!" Jenny screamed. "You're no good. Keep away from me."  
  
"I'm no good." Tom repeated. "I'm no good! Look at yourself, you're insane, Jenny. I have a good mind just to dump you and go out with some other girl, even that girl Marie."  
  
"Marie!" Jenny screeched. "Fine, go out with her. It's not as if you're any use to me anyway."  
  
"Fine, Jenny." Tom said in a very low voice. "And I hope you stay here and rot, you lunatic bitch."  
  
Now, Julian thought as he watched Jenny's face go through the many stages of fury, the old Jenny would have started crying but this was Jenny at a whole new level. Jenny was not at her right mind when she launched at Tom and sent him spiralling to the ground.  
  
Tom restrained her, looking everywhere but at her and pressed the button that called some doctors in.  
  
"Mr. Locke." A doctor said, rushing in. "I think it would be best if you were to go."  
  
"I'm going." Tom grunted and left the room.  
  
"Jennifer! Jennifer! Calm down."  
  
Jenny was mad. She spit and scratched and kicked the doctor off her.  
  
Then other doctors came in and tried to calm her down. She screamed and kicked as they held her onto her bed.  
  
The doctor injected some drugs into her. Jenny, after a couple of minutes, went limp.  
  
Jenny, his Jenny? Here? And she's so afraid and confused.  
  
He wanted to help her, to reach out and take her in his arms but of course he couldn't because that would just drive her even more insane.  
  
What tore him apart though, was that she seemed to be fighting two battles against herself. First of all, she wanted to tell everyone about The Shadow World and warn them. Typical Jenny. But people couldn't except it. They bullied her and she didn't have her friends to support her.  
  
Second was, she lived with the fear that he would come back and get her. He was haunting her. But she was right to be afraid of him coming back, because, well, wasn't he here? Ready to take her back to the Shadow World?  
  
So, he had drove the one he truly loved insane. It didn't say much for his character. He was truly hurt that she was in this state though. He wanted to be there to protect her so much, yet there was no way he could protect her from himself, or her own head.  
  
"Jenny has created a fantasy world, The Shadow World as she calls it. Perhaps she feels nobody loves her and that's why she conjured up this Julian character to love her. It all links back to the accident with her grandfather. He had books and books about this Shadow World. He must have told her stories about it when she was younger and now she's warped it into her own little world. Jenny has demons to fight," Said the doctor. "We just got to wait patiently until she fights them."  
  
But how can she fight the Shadow Men? He thought. If you fight against the Shadow Men, you lose. Sure Jenny had won against him, but hadn't he loved her? If she said what she had said to another Shadow Men, she would have been tortured horribly and then killed, no doubt about it. There was a certain irony in the whole thing.  
  
Jenny was awake. Her eyes were dilated and he knew that she couldn't move, couldn't scream. She had her eyes set on the ceiling.  
  
Julian didn't know what he was doing until he had done it.  
  
He leaned over her and looked into those beautiful green eyes.  
  
Shock. Confusion. Disbelief. Anger. Fear. Everything mixed together in those eyes.  
  
She was so helpless. She couldn't move.  
  
Somebody, anybody, help me. She screamed inside her head knowing nobody could here.  
  
Please.  
  
She was all alone, paralysed with the Shadow Man.  
  
She squeezed her eyes shut. 


	3. Famished, part 3

Thanks to shadow 4 reviewing again! I love reviews so if anyone is reading this, please review! Well, hope you like the story! I really am trying my best! The Forbidden Game belongs to L J. Smith in case you didn't know. I love Julian!!! This was in t tales before!  
  
Part three - Always the Same  
  
"Jenny, don't you dare close your eyes. Look, I'll let you move." Julian waved his hand a little and Jenny could move. She wasn't paralysed. She immediately scrambled away to the corner.  
  
She whimpered and put her arms over her legs in a childish gesture.  
  
"How? Why? Who?" She stuttered.  
  
"How I was brought back?" He answered. "I don't know. Who did it? I don't know that either. Why they did it? I haven't a clue."  
  
"Go away." She moaned and she sounded haunted. "Please. Just leave me alone."  
  
"Jenny." He leaned down to her. But she shook her head wildly.  
  
"Calm down. Look, I'm going to take you out of this place."  
  
Her head snapped up and Julian saw real fear in those eyes. She was trembling with terror. He had to admit there was a deep pleasure in her being so afraid of him. When they had been playing the games, she had always been calm and collected. He had meant to break her so many times but Jenny was a fighter. This was a ghost of the original Jenny.  
  
He loved her anyway, of course. He loved any form of Jenny deeply.  
  
"No." She said in a ghostly voice. "Not the Shadow World." She squeezed herself even more tightly into her corner. "I can't go back there."  
  
"So you rather stay here instead." He growled. "In a mental hospital. Cooked up like an animal." He was angry and he slammed his fist against the wall, causing Jenny to squeak in terror.  
  
"Please." She breathed. "Stop." She sounded so tired, so worn out. She sounded like she was so dead after it all. Like she didn't have the will to go on.  
  
"Just let me take you out of here." He said and saw tears sprinkle down her cheeks.  
  
"No, No, there's something wrong with me." She said quietly. "I'm sick. I've seen too much and, you don't know the pressure of having to keep this secret, a secret that effects you so much, you don't have the pressure of that on you."  
  
"I did though, I had to keep you a secret. I couldn't tell The Shadow Men about you, because they'd kill you."  
  
"Look, I'm not here on a holiday. There's something wrong with me."  
  
"No, there's not." Julian said forcefully.  
  
"It's your fault." She shouted. Her emotions were going through stages, switching and racing past her, making her even more confused. "You're the one that screwed me up. If you had never forced me into the Shadow World with that stupid game, I'd be at home throwing a pool party or hanging out with my friends. It wouldn't be like this." She sobbed. "My friends having their parties without me. And me stuck in this stupid white room with nothing to do put count the tiles on the ceiling again and again. There's thirty-two."  
  
"This is not my fault. If you hadn't been so stubborn and given in."  
  
"Then I'd be worse off. I'd be in that, that place, with you. You'd all drive me mad anyway." She was hyperventilating dangerously.  
  
"Jenny, calm down."  
  
She didn't. She jumped to the door and started banging at it. It was locked of course. She began to wail loudly.  
  
Doctors ran in and as she turned around, she knew he wouldn't be there.  
  
"What's wrong?" One doctor asked sharply. But after looking around the room with beady eyes, he said, "A false alarm. We suggest you get some rest, Jenny."  
  
"But we just paralysed her. It wore off very quickly, didn't it?" Another doctor said.  
  
"We'll have to check that out. Back to bed, Jennifer."  
  
They brought her to the bed and lay her down. She didn't say anything. She wouldn't say anything.  
  
Was it a hallucination? Jenny thought. It never happened before but am I getting madder and madder?  
  
The thought scared her. She didn't want to see the things inside her head. She had seen some scary things and the last thing she'd want is to face them all over again.  
  
She closed her eyes and soon drifted off to sleep with him on her mind.  
Blue eyes. All around her. They surrounded her and she couldn't get out and they were all blue. Those ghostly haunting eyes were all electric blue, the strangest colour.  
  
No boy should have eyes of that colour.  
  
The colour she had only seen when she woke up at the exact time of dawn.  
  
The colour she had only seen when.  
  
Julian.  
  
He was laughing at her as she tried to run. Tried to escape. There was no point. He wouldn't let her escape. Dead or alive. He was always there.  
  
He was always there, surrounding her with those enchanting eyes.  
  
He would never let her go. And with that thought, he stepped out of the shadows and he smiled a smile that would make a baby cry.  
  
He grasped her hand and slipped on the ring. that dreadful ring that meant she could never escape. she was part of the Shadow World now. Part of the shadows.  
  
Then his beautiful features melted away and those electric eyes turned brown flecked with green and she heard Tom's voice, saw Tom's smile. "And I hope you stay here and rot, you lunatic bitch."  
  
Then the shadows grabbed at her greedily and dragged her into the darkness. 


	4. Ch 4

Part four - A brother's love  
"No!" She screamed and jerked her head up. She was drenched in sweat and her room seemed darker than ever. She tossed at her sheets angrily, kicking them off and sat up, breathing heavily.  
  
Jenny was afraid. Her heart pounded nosily and she felt hot, too hot.  
  
She had to get out of here.  
  
But where was she going to go?  
  
Home? Back to school? No, she couldn't. That would drive her out of her already insane mind. She had never realised how cruel people were. until she tried to save them.  
  
Then where? The Shadow World? With Julian and that cosy little house and amusement park? There was no point to it anymore.  
  
Jenny couldn't live in the Shadow World because she wasn't a creature of darkness. Yet, she couldn't live in the normal world because.  
  
They were ignorant and stupid. She knew too much to sit in and watch Television. She knew too much to feel safe.  
  
I am driving myself mad.  
  
But one thing was clear, Jenny was alone. She couldn't trust anyone. She couldn't trust her friends to protect her anymore.  
  
Yet, she couldn't trust her family either. So who was there?  
  
For a moment, she thought Julian. Then she laughed.  
  
If she told him anything, he'd use it against her some other time and in the end, it was him she was fighting.  
  
Or was it? Was she just fighting herself?  
  
In the end, Jenny was left confused, scared and angry. These weren't new feelings but old friends. They, she thought, are my only friends.  
  
She laughed lightly. Is that what all the mental people say?  
  
"Are you okay, Jenny?"  
  
Jenny turned to the voice and saw Joey sitting there, watching her with intense eyes.  
  
"How did you get in here?" Jenny switched to big-sister mode. "Does mom and dad know?"  
  
"No, they don't and it doesn't matter. The doctors let me in. I said I wanted to talk to you."  
  
"But it's really late." Jenny said and looked around.  
  
"It's five in the day, Jenny. You're sleeping patterns have been a bit off lately."  
  
"Oh," Jenny said. "But it's so dark."  
  
"Yeah." Was all Joey said with a quick glance around the shadowed room.  
  
"Why are you here?" Jenny asked after a pause.  
  
"I didn't want to leave you alone." He answered quietly. Joey sounded so old, so in control. For a minute, Jenny felt safe and protected yet every minute Joey was in this room with her, he was in danger. Still, she couldn't find courage enough to be left in the dark room on her own so she didn't send him away.  
  
"Doctors watch me every minute." She pointed out. There was something about the way Joey was sitting, something about those tense eyes that made her think he wanted something more.  
  
"But they all think you're mad."  
  
"And you don't, Joey? You don't think I'm nuts?"  
  
"I think you're just a bit confused. But, you'll get better. I want you to get better."  
  
There was an urge of hope in his voice. "So, the doctors say all you have to do is fight your demons, Jenny. So you have to fight it," He leaned in closer to her. "You have to fight him, Jenny." Joey sighed. "There was no point just leaving you thinking about him, tearing yourself to pieces. You have to face him for the last time and get better like you did. in the other games."  
  
Jenny stared at him then said in a breathy voice. "You believe me?"  
  
Joey didn't answer. "To face him though, he had to be back alive." There was something about the way he said that line. He took a deep breath and said, "Try not to get yourself hurt."  
  
Jenny blinked, took at deep breath and said, "Joey, I mean, You didn't? Did you? Bring him back?" No, it couldn't be true but something in her little brothers eyes told her.  
  
Joey said nothing. Jenny exploded. "Why? That was so stupid! It was mean and horrible and Joey!"  
  
Joey shrugged. "I just want you to get better, Jenny."  
  
"But-" She cut herself off and tried again. "Okay, how did you?"  
  
"I read your diaries. You always went over and over on the details on how to bring him back. It was like my own little Bring-back-the-demon help manual." There's a tinge of grim humour in his voice.  
  
"Joey!" She looked at him and she couldn't believe that he, her little brother, had brought Julian back. "You read my diaries." Now she was mad. How could he? Now, he knew so much. He knew all her feelings, her feelings for Tom and her feelings for Julian. He would have read all about the nightmares and all of Jenny's insane thoughts.  
  
She shook her head. "I'm sorry I wrote what I did." She whispered and Joey smiled. "Hey," He said lightly. "You should read my diary. Then you'd be really mad. Especially all the things I wrote about you."  
  
Joey had a forced smile on his face but something in his eyes told her he was enjoying himself. Like he liked being back talking to the real Jenny. She wasn't shutting him out or screaming or crying or.  
  
Or being insane.  
  
"Are you angry with me?" Joey asked.  
  
"Am I angry? I'm furious. Do you know how dangerous this is? You read my diary, you know what he will do."  
  
"But Jenny," Joey pleaded. "You can beat him again. You did it three times already. Just do it again and I'll be there and then," He cut off and for a minute was silent. Then he looked up at her with vibrant green eyes. "I'll never leave you alone. Whatever happens afterwards, I'll be there."  
  
His idea was sweet and happy but Jenny was still scared. "What if he hurts you? What if he brings us to the Shadow World for another game?" Then Jenny snapped her head up. "No, No. I know exactly what he's going to do. He's going to make everyone pay for being mean to me."  
  
"But how will he know they have been? I mean, he was dead, wasn't he?" Joey asked.  
  
"He was either still alive and watching or, well, Julian has a way of finding out things."  
  
"Well," Joey said and his voice was low. "They deserve it. For what they did to you. For driving you here. I hope Julian teaches them a lesson or two and I hope they regret ever teasing Jenny Thorton."  
  
"Joey!" Jenny exclaimed. "Whatever has happened, nobody deserves what Julian does."  
  
Joey's eyes narrowed. He seemed mad now. He muttered something like, "You didn't really mind." Jenny opened her mouth and closed it again. It was best just to leave things be.  
  
"Jenny," Joey frowned and looked up at his big sister. "You will be able to fight him, won't you? I mean, I know you're not well and stuff and. you won't give into him, will you? I know, to you, the world's bad at the moment but you'll get better. It'll get better."  
  
"I never want to go to the shadow World." She said earnestly. That was the one thing she could never do. The thought of the darkness. of those creatures, lurking in the shadows.  
  
Jenny gasped. She could actually feel the darkness around her. Those eyes. surrounding her.  
  
She shook her head and closed her eyes.  
  
"Are you okay?" Joey asked nervously.  
  
"I. I don't want to go to the Shadow World." She said and her voice trembled.  
  
They were watching her. Jenny knew it. It was like a sixth sense. She could feel them, drawing the light out of her with those draining eyes. those haunting eyes.  
  
Blue eyes. Julian.  
  
He was there, watching her. His electric eyes were fixed on her now but she couldn't see him, she could only feel him there.  
  
She shivered.  
  
"Jenny?"  
  
"I'm okay, Joey." She said. "I just want to get out of here."  
  
"Yeah, well, I don't know how. Maybe if you just shut up for a week, they might let you out."  
  
"No." Jenny said. "They won't. They'll want to keep me in for observation."  
  
"You need to tell the others. Dee and Tom and them. They'll need to know." Joey said.  
  
Jenny sighed, frustrated. "They won't listen."  
  
"Look, Jenny." Joey said sharply. "You can't blame your friends. It's been hard for them to, you know. They are just. scared."  
  
"Well," Jenny said. "I'm scared too." Then she sighed and shook her head. "I know it wasn't their fault. It's. just. I thought we'd stick together."  
  
"But, they have, except you. You drove yourself mad."  
  
"Yeah." Jenny grunted.  
  
"Tom will want to help you. They all will. You just have to wait for them to get their heads, Jenny. It's only been a few weeks."  
  
"Yeah." Jenny was remembering what Tom had said.  
  
"Tom told me you had a fight. He told me to take care of you."  
  
"Look at you." She laughed. "All grown up."  
  
"Well, someone has to be. I'm going to go now." Joey stood up, hesitated then said, "Jenny, if he comes while I'm gone just ignore him. Do what you did to us. Put your hands over your ears and scream. It doesn't matter if the doctors hear you. They might even come in to you."  
  
Jenny stood up and hugged her brother. "I'm okay. I love you, Joey."  
  
He left the room and Jenny hugged herself. Would Julian come now? What did he want?  
  
He wanted her, of course. Julian always wanted Jenny. 


	5. Ch 5

Part Five - Weakness  
  
Eyes.  
  
"Go away!" She screamed. "Keep away from me!"  
  
Their hands reached out, wanting her. She could hear them whispering her name excitedly, knowing they would soon have their prey.  
  
"No!" She screamed. They were going to drag her under. It was like drowning.  
  
I need air.  
  
She swung around blindly, hitting nothing. She could feel the shadowed hands and no matter what she did, they wouldn't let go.  
  
No. I need to breathe.  
  
It was getting darker and she could feel the life draining from her body.  
  
Leave me alone. She tried to scream but it was no use. She couldn't do anything.  
  
I'm so weak. I'm so helpless. Please. Leave me alone.  
  
She felt the pain. A pain that swept through her whole body and touched every nerve, every muscle, every bone.  
  
She was panicking now. How was she going to live?  
  
She couldn't breathe and they were smashing her life and body up.  
  
She pushed at them but that was useless too.  
  
Why am I so weak?  
  
She looked into those eyes now, so wise and powerful and hungry. They wanted her. They were waiting for her.  
  
But they wanted her now. Patience was a skill the Shadow men didn't have.  
  
They were hungry. Their eyes watched her every desperate move, waiting for when she settled down and they could have their well-deserved mouth watering feast.  
  
Dee woke up with a start and looked around madly. There were shadows all around her and she just knew. She just knew.  
  
"Julian?" She said and was happy that her voice was firm and fierce even though she was trembling inside.  
  
She looked at all her posters. They were as normal as usual except one of them, for a flash, looked like he had electric blue eyes but she realised as she looked again it was only a trick of the light.  
  
Or, a voice said quietly in the back of her head, a trick of the shadows.  
Audrey woke up and, without thinking, rang Dee.  
  
"Dee?" She called the minute the phone was answered.  
  
"No." An angry voice said and said, "Why are you calling so late?"  
  
Audrey wasn't in the mood to talk. "Could you just put on Dee?"  
  
"She's asleep." And then Audrey heard Dee's voice in the distance. "No, I'm not if that's for me."  
  
There was a rattle as the phone was exchanged from father to daughter and then Dee's voice. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi Dee."  
  
"Audrey? What you doing up? It's like four in the morning. What happened to the whole beauty sleep thing?"  
  
"I," Audrey stuttered. "I couldn't sleep."  
  
"No?" Dee said. "Me neither. Hang on and I'll get the cordless phone and talk in bed."  
  
"Sorry I woke up your dad." Audrey said when Dee had the cordless.  
  
"No, he was coming in from work anyway. He's working nights this week. That's why he's in such a bad mood and you ringing at four in the morning and waking the whole house up kind of winded him up" Dee said conversationally.  
  
"Dee," Audrey sounded sort of timid. "The nightmares are getting worse. I'm scared."  
  
"Why are you scared, Audrey?" Dee asked despite having flashbacks of the freaky dream she just had. "They're just dreams."  
  
"I'm scared." Audrey said. "I'm scared I'll end up like Jenny."  
  
Dee sighed. "Jenny."  
  
"Yeah, it's just."  
  
"Well, we went through a hell of a lot." Dee said reasonably. "There's bound to be some side effects." Dee sighed again. "I mean, what Julian did to us."  
  
"I though we agreed not to talk about that." Audrey said savagely.  
  
"The longer we put it off," Dee said forcefully. "The longer we are going to suffer. If we just deal with it together..."  
  
"I am not ending up like Jenny." Audrey said stubbornly. "I love Jenny but I just can't. I can't go in there. Did you see Jenny? She's like a ghost. What are they doing to her?"  
  
"They're trying to make her better." Dee said.  
  
"Yeah, well, she doesn't seem so much better to me." Audrey muttered.  
  
"Well, of course she doesn't. We haven't been to see her in ages."  
  
"I don't want to see her. like that. I'll see her when she's better and has forgotten about this Shadow World stuff."  
  
"I don't want to see her like that either but Audrey. she's alone and she's scared and." Dee wondered whether to say what was on her mind but Audrey was already saying bye.  
  
"And I think he might be back." Dee said hurriedly and Audrey slammed down the phone. Dee wondered if she heard.  
On the other side of the phone, Audrey sobbed.  
  
She switched off her light and went into bed and lay there, thinking.  
  
She had heard what Dee had said and Audrey. She was scared.  
  
What was going to happen?  
  
No, she thought. No, I won't do this to myself.  
  
But her room did seem darker than usual and she felt like something was closing in on her. She felt like she was in the centre of something evil and. those eyes.  
  
She looked around wildly but it wasn't a matter of seeing, it was a matter of feeling.  
  
The room temperature dropped suddenly and Audrey felt the little hairs on her arms tingle.  
  
She lunged towards the light switch but at the same time, she saw something move from the darkness, it was as if the shadows were coming alive.  
  
Were the shadows coming to life?  
  
Shadows. Shadow Men. there was a link and Audrey knew it.  
  
Audrey also knew, at that moment, that she wasn't alone in the darkness in the room.  
  
She switched on the light but wasn't surprised when she saw no one was there. No, he wouldn't return until the light switched off again and the darkness swept through the room, guarding and masking him. 


	6. Ch 6

Okay, did I mention this all belongs to L. J. Smith? It does! She's the best! Keep reading and please reviewing! X  
Part six - Fear  
"Zaaaaacchharrrryyy."  
  
He flung himself up out of bed and looked around. What was that?  
  
"Zach." The voice came again. A whispered voice that sent chills up his back.  
  
"Who's there?" Zach asked stupidly. He hated that question - it was a stupid question especially when Zach knew the answer.  
  
Who else was it?  
  
The shadows were calling out for him.  
  
"Zachary." Then the voice was beside his ear and Zach snapped his head to the left, knowing there would be nothing there. He snapped his head to the right but there was nothing there.  
  
Only darkness.  
  
"Zach. Zaaaach."  
  
"Who are you?" Zach said harshly. Only darkness answered him again. His heart thudded heavily in his chest and his stomach flip-flopped dangerously. He thought he was going to puke. He felt the blood go out of his face as he heard that voice again, calling out for him.  
  
The light switch was across the room, a couple of feet away but something in Zach's mind told him to stay where he was. That thing that people called instinct told him that if he got up off this bed to go to the light switch he wouldn't make it there.  
  
Then another thought snapped into his head. His bed was floating.  
  
He was up too high. He swung his head down to have a look and there it was. his bed was levitating a few feet above the ground.  
  
His stomach plummeted and he hung onto his pillow like a sacred teddy bear.  
  
Then the bed began to shake.  
  
Zach couldn't take it. He started shouting like a lunatic, screaming with terror.  
  
But. nobody would come. His dad and mom wouldn't come. He knew it somehow and he knew that he was alone in the dark.  
  
The bed fell back onto the ground with a dull thud and Zach looked at the light switch again.  
  
No. The voice pleaded. Stay where you are.  
  
That's where it's most dark. that's where the evil is. that's where the darkness strives.  
  
So he curled up in a ball on his bed and cried. He hiccuped like a lost child and knew, knew that it would be a long time until the light shone through his window.  
  
So, Zach spent the night in his little ball, shaking and crying while the shadows watched and leered at him.  
Michael woke up to the knocking at his window, a slow steady beat.  
  
Then a girl's voice. "Hhheeeeelllppppp meee." The girl's voice drawled out all the words so she sounded like a ghost. or haunted. She moaned then, so she sounded like a zombie. A zombie that was hungry. you might say famished. Michael shivered. Why had he just thought of that?  
  
Then came the high pitched scream. A banshee? No, it was a girl and she needed help but why was she knocking so slowly?  
  
Michael slowly opened his eyes and dragged them to the window where he, himself screamed.  
  
It was a mixture of everything he had thought. A ghost, a zombie, a banshee, and a girl in need of help.  
  
There she was. floating outside his window with skin that was flat, white and dead looking and eyes that were crying tears of blood. She was wearing a normal teenage girl's clothes although they were covered in blood.  
  
She was knocking at his window slowly and her mouth was open as if to scream again. Michael didn't know what to do.  
  
What was it?  
  
The features somehow resembled a horse's. Then Michael realised why.  
  
Was that . Marie?  
  
The girl most people thought looked like a horse with her big nose and front teeth?  
  
But how.? What was wrong with her? Why was she floating? Why was she here?  
  
He had to let her in. Michael knew that but as Michael set a shaky foot on his fuzzy carpet to walk towards the window he nearly collapsed. It wasn't just because Horse was floating outside his window; it was because Michael knew there was something else outside that window waiting to come in as well. Michael was inviting that evil into his room.  
  
He opened the window and was hit with a wave of what Michael considered being pure evil. It waltzed into his room and gathered itself. His room suddenly looked spookier than ever and Michael didn't recognise it as his own. All his posters of Britney Spears and other cover girls seemed to smile evilly at him and their features seemed more leering than sweet. They seemed suddenly tall and he felt towered over by them. Their eyes seemed to follow his every move.  
  
The shadows also seemed to be watching him.  
  
Horse fell into his arms and the same moment and whispered, "Help me," to him. There seemed to be a sort of pale strange light coming off Horse and there was real fear and suffering in her eyes.  
  
"I should have believed her." Gasped Horse. "I wanted to say I'm sorry." She looked up at Michael and her eyes rolled back. She didn't seem to be in her right mind. "You're house was the closest. You'll tell her, won't you?"  
  
"Who?" Michael asked. Michael's mind wasn't functioning. He wasn't thinking. All he could do was gape at this desperate inhuman thing that was gasping some puzzling sentences at him.  
  
"He told me to say I'm sorry. He said. he said he might spare my life. But I'm." she sobbed. "I think I'm all ready dead."  
  
"I faced my nightmare but I think I lost. how could I face that? He seemed so normal. No, he didn't. I was laughing at her. and he got mad." She made a sort of gasping noise that Michael thought was a desperate bitter laugh.  
  
"He got angry. then he didn't seem normal. he isn't normal. he is the shadows.Follows her wherever she goes. You know, Michael. you know she'll never get away. Oh God, I'm so sorry. I know." She pulled Michael towards her. "I know. what they are. she'll never get away. he's so mad. he's coming." Her voice got higher and more urgent. "He's coming to get me. he'll get you all. you got to run. you got to try and hide. the shadows are gathering." She wasn't making any sense.  
  
Michael tried to comfort her. She was crying more tears of blood.  
  
"The shadows are coming. darkness is here." She cried then. "Julian." she gasped. "He's going to get you all." She was squeezing Michael to tightly. She was terrified.  
  
Did she just say Julian?  
  
Michael was thrown into a sea of emotions. Terror. Fear. Confusion. Hate. Anger.  
  
Michael felt tears fall down his cheeks.  
  
What had he done to Horse? Who has he done that to already? Will he do it to him? Has he done that to Jenny? Is she all right?  
  
Audrey. Audrey was talking about her nightmares getting worse constantly. was that a sign? Was she the first victim? He had to protect her. He had to protect Jenny. He had to protect Horse.  
  
How? What could Michael do?  
  
"How could I have never known? Oh Jenny. you were right. we were wrong.I'm so sorry. Julian! Spare me. Jenny forgives me. Jenny's my friend.Please. Please.."  
  
Michael's room was getting darker and darker. "Marie!" he shouted. "Marie! We have to get out of here!"  
  
"He's here. He's ready to kill me. He's hungry. hungry for revenge. hungry for victims. he's starving for Jenny. He wants Jenny. He wants to. wants to kill me.I'm so sorry." Her voice was fading and she was starting to scream with pain.  
  
"Marie." He screamed. "Snap out of it. Jenny forgives you. Come on!"  
  
Michael dragged her away from the window. He was just over the threshold of the door when he saw the darkness covering up Horse. She screamed for a final time and then she was gone. Just like that. Michael looked around wildly. The darkness hung around the corners of his room, watching him silently.  
  
Michael trembled and was suddenly paralysed with fear. Then, he fainted.  
Summer sat on her couch watching a music channel. There was all crap music on now because it was so late. Yet Summer still wasn't ready to sleep. She yawned. Her head sagged on the couch but she still couldn't get to sleep.  
  
It was like her body was asleep but her mind was too awake. She growled angrily.  
  
I want to go to sleep.  
  
She turned off the horrible music and tossed the remote to the side.  
  
She closed her eyes but still she couldn't get to sleep.  
  
She knew how tired she'd be in the morning now and that annoyed her. Why can't I just get to sleep now?  
  
Her mind wasn't functioning right. Now, it was like the other way around. Her mind was asleep and her body was awake, stored with energy.  
  
How infuriating! She tossed around but knew she definitely wouldn't get to sleep on the harsh material of her couch.  
  
She dragged herself off the couch and up the stairs and went onto her bed. She felt too hot and uncomfortable. She wasn't getting any sleep tonight anyway.  
  
She tried to read something; maybe that would help but it just got her more frustrated.  
  
She turned off the light. It was better just to lie here and hopefully, in two hours or so, she might fade off to sleep.  
  
She didn't fall asleep. Instead, she felt the feeling if being watched.  
  
So, this is how Jenny felt, for all those years, Summer thought. She would have felt comforted, knowing something was there watching her so she wasn't alone in the dark, but she sensed what was watching her was bad, evil and she just wanted it to go away.  
  
She didn't want to be alone in the shadows so she should be happy something was there, watching her but was it just the shadows watching her? Summer's mind wasn't functioning right.  
  
Summer snapped on her lamp so she wouldn't be in the dark but somehow that was worse because now shadows were cast around the room. But they weren't normal shadows, they were in the form of humans. It was as if they're was a crowd of invisible people in her room and all she could see was their shadows on the wall in front of her.  
  
What's worse is that she could see by the shadows that they were all standing still and straight and they were facing her.  
  
Then the shadows on her wall walked towards Summer and at the same time, Summer felt a chill swept through her.  
  
Oh my God.  
  
Summer's head was in alert mode. She wasn't drowsy now. Her body was already moving, running to the door.  
  
But she didn't make it. Instead she bumped into something.  
  
With a desperate glance at her wall, she saw hers right beside another tall shadow. One that, for some reason seemed familiar to her.  
  
Julian.  
  
No. No. Please.  
  
She made a desperate movement with her legs and arms, clawing at him, scratching at him, trying to get away.  
  
She was panicking.  
  
Quickly, she scrambled back from him and glanced at the shadows at the wall again. She was surrounded. They were all around her. She could feel them around her but she still couldn't see them only the shadows on the wall.  
  
Somebody. Anybody. Help me.  
  
She was out of control. She lunged towards the window but fell into one of them again.  
  
Scrambling back, she saw her mobile. Making her way to it wildly, she went to her phone book automatically and rang Tom's mobile number.  
  
Tom answered at the same time she saw the shadow that looked so familiar take a step towards her.  
  
"Tom! Tom!" She screeched. "There's something here, Tom! I need your help!"  
  
Another step towards her.  
  
"Tom!" She was screaming now and crying. "I'm scared and there's shadows! Tom! Julian. He's here. I know it! Tom! Please!" She broke down as she saw the shadow take another step towards her. Oh. He was so close.  
"You have to help me! Tom!"  
  
Tom, on the other side of the phone was in a sort of shock but he got a grip and started running.  
  
Julian. back? No.  
  
But, then again, Tom had always known he would come back.  
  
No. Julian's not real.  
  
Oh, shut up, Tom, he said to himself. You know he's real. You stay up every night, remembering everything. You go to that mental hospital just to ask the doctors is Jenny still there. You stay outside her door every night you can, guarding her door, wondering will tonight be the night. And you know every night that he will just kill you anyway. You know you're weak and helpless but you just don't want to let Jenny alone.  
  
Oh god. I left her alone tonight. He came back and I left her alone because I was so mad at her.  
  
She didn't even know what she was saying and I got angry with her. I left her to Julian's merciless hands.  
  
Tom shook with rage. What have I done?  
  
Jenny.  
  
Was she in the Shadow World now? Was Julian still in love with her? Or has death changed him? Is he angry with her, torturing her like the Shadow Men must have tortured him?  
  
No, shut up Tom, Summer's in danger.  
  
"I'll be right there, Summer!" He yelled. "Calm down and run wherever you can!"  
  
"Tom. He's back and he's going to get us! You have to help me!" She didn't know what she was saying. "I'm so scared, Tom I-"  
  
Then she stopped, broke off  
  
There was a deadly silence. Tom, shifting himself into the front of the car, shouted down the phone. "Summer! Summer, are you all right? What's going on? Summer!" His voice rose higher and he knew he, himself was panicking. "Summer!"  
  
There was more thick silence and then a voice, a voice Tom never wanted to hear again. He felt himself falling into despair.  
  
No.  
  
No, it can't be.  
  
But it was.  
  
Tom, with the phone pressed against his ear, slammed down on the breaks and tried to make sense of what he had heard.  
  
Yes, he hadn't imagined it.  
  
"Hello Tommy." That voice hissed.  
  
That voice. That voice that was so cold and cruel. that was so evil.  
  
That voice. the voice that belonged to the darkness. that belonged to the shadows.  
  
The melodious inhuman voice that didn't belonged in this world. Didn't belong in Tom's world of security and reality.  
  
It couldn't be mistaken.  
  
Julian's voice.  
  
Which meant, of course, that Julian wasn't dead.  
  
Julian was alive.  
  
Julian was back. 


	7. Accidents happen

Part seven - Accidents happen  
  
"Summer!" Tom shouted in her room but there was nothing there. Where are you? Oh no. Oh God.  
  
He felt so angry with himself. He had broken every speed limit he could to get here but he still hadn't got here in time.  
  
"Oh, Summer."  
  
Who knew what his fluffy headed friend was going through now?  
  
Was she in the Shadow World as Julian's prey?  
  
Was her soul stuck in a doll in that bloody amusement park like Jenny's grandfather had been?  
  
Jenny.  
  
Oh no. He needed to get to her quick.  
  
But Michael was closer. He wanted to check was everyone gone. had Julian got them all?  
  
Michael, he discovered, was lying on the ground.  
  
Tom looked in Michael's parents' room to find them fast asleep. When he tried to wake them up, they wouldn't, but to Tom's relief, they were alive. Obviously Julian had done something to prevent them from waking up. I hope they wake up in the morning, Tom thought. He went back to Michael, who now had his eyes open.  
  
"Michael?" Tom said softly.  
  
There was something wrong with him.  
  
Two words came out of Michael's mouth. "He's back."  
  
"I know."  
  
They rushed into the car.  
  
"We have to go to Jenny." Tom said urgently, starting the car up.  
  
"Wait. Audrey's in nearer."  
  
"What do you mean? Julian is going to be after Jenny."  
  
"No, he's not." Said Michael stubbornly. "Jenny's the only one that's safe at the moment because he won't kill her. He has no problem though, killing Audrey and Dee. And what about Zach? What about Summer?"  
  
"We have to get to Jenny." Said Tom. She was the only thing on his mind. Oh God. He loved her. If she was gone.  
  
Tom's world would never be the same again.  
  
"No." Michael said. "Go to Audrey's."  
  
Tom, at the wheel, kept driving towards the mental hospital.  
  
Michael, hysteric, lunged at the wheel to turn it towards Audrey's.  
  
In a blinding flash, Tom saw the wall; Tom saw the car bashing into the wall. There was nothing he could do. He slammed on the breaks but it was too late.  
  
He swerved the car to the side; his side and it went slamming into the wall. Maybe Michael will be okay.  
  
What have we done? Tom thought. We won't be able to protect them now.  
  
Everything was a confused muddle. Nothing made sense.  
  
As the car smashed into the wall, Tom just thought the same thing over and over again. Jenny.Oh Jenny. I love you.  
  
Jenny.  
  
She was there. Her emerald green eyes looked down on him. A thin line appeared between her eyebrows as she frowned.  
  
Her beautiful silky hair fell over her shoulders as she shook her head. She seemed to say something but he couldn't hear her.  
  
Jenny. I don't understand.  
  
She seemed enveloped in gold.  
  
Jenny. Are you an angel?  
  
She seemed to be terribly upset about something. She was struggling not to cry.  
  
He lifted up his two fingers and brought her lips down to his where he kissed her softly.  
  
It's going to be okay, Jenny. I love you.  
  
Her hair brushed against him and he smiled at her, dotingly.  
  
You mean everything to me.  
  
She tried to say something else but again he couldn't hear her. But it didn't matter. He knew her better than words. He knew what she was going to say because he was going to say it too.  
  
I love you.  
  
They were the classic American couple. A girl with golden hair, pretty, popular and who owned a big house and a pool. Then a jock, handsome, a charmer to all the ladies but whom only had one special girl on his mind.  
  
Okay, they had a secret; a secret that they would keep buried for as long as they could.  
  
The secret didn't matter because Jenny loved Tom. The secret would just have to except that.  
  
He brushed his lips against hers and he felt the familiar pang of love. A bubble of warmth surrounded Jenny and Tom and the world was only them, together, and in love.  
  
"Tom! Tom!" Somewhere in the distance he heard his name getting called.  
  
Where am I?  
  
He felt uneasy and unsettled like he was still asleep. He should have felt pain, he knew that but he didn't. Instead he felt numb and strange.  
  
Jenny.  
  
He remembered now, she had been there.  
  
No, she hadn't. He remembered now. Michael and himself had crashed into a wall. They had been in a rush to get somewhere.  
  
Where?  
  
Jenny. I wanted to get to Jenny and Michael wanted to protect Audrey.  
  
Why?  
  
And suddenly it all came back to him in flashes.  
  
Julian.  
  
He tried to get up but he couldn't. He was still in that strange numbness.  
  
That voice beside him was getting higher and higher. Panicking.  
  
I'm okay. I'm okay. Don't worry. Don't cry.  
  
The voice was female and sobbing.  
  
Please.  
  
He wanted to comfort her because he felt close to her. He must know her. A close friend?  
  
"Michael! Tom! Please, wake up, guys!"  
  
I can't open my eyes. But I'm here. I'm okay.  
  
But Tom wasn't. He realised that he was going back away again. He couldn't think straight any more and that voice was fading away.  
  
I'm okay. 


	8. CH 8

Hi, it's me again. Just thought I'd confirm that this all belongs to L. J. Smith. Oh, and please read and review! Oh, I doubt this matters to anyone, but if you tried to review but didn't want to sign it, (I doubt it but maybe.) I had a button ticked to stop that and I only realised it yesterday, so. um. sorry for that if it applies to you. Well, please keep reading! I love you if you read it, and reviewing is great too. Just a line to tell me someone's reading. Hope you like it!!!  
  
Part eight - Delayed  
  
"Tommy and Michael had a little delay getting here." Julian said.  
  
Jenny snapped open her eyes and focused on the Shadow Man standing in front of her, leaning on a wall, looking completely relaxed.  
  
She took a few seconds then said, in a shaky voice, "A little delay?"  
  
"Yes, involving a car and a wall."  
  
"Oh my God!" Her face showed open distressed and she gripped onto her sheets harder.  
  
"Are they okay?" She asked again. "Oh no! Are they all right?"  
  
Julian, taking in the sight of a horrified shocked terrified and beautiful Jenny, seemed to have no interest in answering her question.  
  
"I need-" She started rustling things around, looking through a couple of things. "I need to go see them. I need to get out of here."  
  
She was slipping into a pair of jeans and top. She seemed to be completely oblivious of Julian, standing there, following her every movement.  
  
Of course, when she went to the door, it was locked.  
  
Her body froze; she bristled, seemed to hesitate for a minute then turned to Julian.  
  
One look into her eyes and he knew what he wanted. "No." He answered her silent question.  
  
"Oh. All you have to do is open the door. I'll get through the rest myself. Just unlock the door. Please. I know you can."  
  
"Of course I can." He said smoothly.  
  
"Then, please." She took a step towards him. "Please. Come on."  
  
"Jenny, No. I'm sure Tommy will manage without you."  
  
"If you loved me you would." She said darkly but seemed to regret saying it afterwards.  
  
He felt a spark of anger but let it pass. He took a step towards her again and saw her shrivel up into the corner again. She was back to being scared.  
  
He laid one hand on the side of her face and knew she was trembling.  
  
Jenny felt the usual passion and electricity force it's way through her. But she was too tired and worn out for him. She couldn't fight anymore.  
  
He seemed about to kiss her but stopped and looked into her eyes. She couldn't, wouldn't look at him but if course, she did. She couldn't ignore someone of his power.  
  
Those eyes still hit her like someone throwing ice cubes at her.  
  
They were just too blue.  
  
They seemed to hold a new emotion in them now. Sadness.  
  
She held his gaze steadily, then whispered. "Look what you've done to me."  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
Michael opened his eyes and was hit with everything at once.  
  
Pain enveloped him followed by a deep anxious feeling and fear.  
  
"Michael!"  
  
He forced his eyes onto the figure in front of him.  
  
That beautiful face, looking down at him. Her eyes were red and her face was streaked. She had been crying obviously.  
  
Her hair was up in a messy ponytail and she was wearing a tracksuit and grey T-shirt, which did not suit her at all.  
  
"Audrey." He said and was surprised by how weak his voice was.  
  
He tried to move but he couldn't. Instead he felt more pain. Tears were in his eyes. Oh god. the crash.  
  
"It's okay." Audrey said with a forced smile. She held onto his hand and he looked into those concerned eyes.  
  
No, everything wasn't okay. He knew it just by looking into those eyes.  
  
Michael looked at his hand and saw the plaster cast.  
  
"It's broken." Audrey said. "And you banged your head pretty bad too. You've been slipping in and out of consciousness for a couple of hours now. The doctors said you'd be okay though."  
  
Michael looked across the room. A doctor was there, checking his temperature and stuff. His mother was there by the door, crying. His father was leaning over him. They were saying things, Thank God you're okay and the like but he wasn't listening. Dee was there as well. She wasn't crying but when he grinned at her, her return smile wasn't fierce and strong, instead it was feeble and relieved. Zach wasn't there. Either was Summer.  
  
Jenny wasn't there; of course, she was in some white room.  
  
Tom. Tom wasn't there either.  
  
"We found you." Dee said. Her voice was trembling. "Audrey and I had been going for a walk discussing," She cast a glance at Audrey. "Some things and we found you two and, and." Dee seemed to be really upset.  
  
"Where's Tom?" Michael asked.  
  
"Tom. Tom isn't well. He had skid the car to the side, the side he was on and he went straight into the wall. You were on the other side, the safer side."  
  
"But he's alive?"  
  
"Yeah, he's alive. Just about. The doctor's are worried. He hasn't woken up yet."  
  
"Michael." His mother said. "You should get some rest." She looked at the two girls. "He doesn't need to know all this now."  
  
"Wait, I want to talk to Dee and Audrey alone. Please." He looked at his parents. "It's important."  
  
"Michael," He's father said sternly. "Get some rest."  
  
"Please."  
  
"It's okay, Michael." Audrey said. She cast a meaningful glance his way. "We know."  
  
"But-"  
  
"We know what you're going to say." Dee said. "We know everything."  
  
"You-"  
  
"We know." Audrey said. "And it's okay. We'll take care of everything. You just worry about getting better."  
  
Michael looked into her eyes. She knew. She knew everything. She knew Julian was back. They were communicating without words.  
  
"You're not going to be leaving the hospital for some while." Dee was saying in the background. Audrey squeezed his hand.  
  
"Keep me informed." Michael said. His parents were looking at them curiously but they would never guess.  
  
They could never guess.  
  
"We'll be okay." Audrey said softly. "Get better quick, okay?" 


	9. Discoveries ch 9

Um. well thanks a lot to the people who reviewed! U know who u are. I love you all! Keep up the great reviewing! Thanks a lot.  
Part nine - Discoveries  
  
Jenny cried. Julian had left her line of vision but he was still there, watching her, probably laughing at her.  
  
The doctors gave her food but she would not eat. Soon they would come in and spoon feed her, force her to eat their soggy vegetables and mouldy chicken.  
  
Look at what he's done to me.  
  
Tom.  
  
Was he okay?  
  
Was he alive?  
  
Would she ever see that rakish smile ever again? That devilish grin?  
  
The last thing she had done was fight with him. The last thing she had said to him was 'You're no use to me anyway'.  
  
Tom was every use to her. Tom was her world. He was her support, he was her security. He was her best friend. He was probably her soulmate if she believed in that sort of thing. She loved him so much.  
  
Why am I such a lunatic? How could I have screwed up my relationship with Tom? Now, he has been in an accident.  
  
I love you, Tom. Please. Please, don't be dead. Please be okay.  
  
Michael. Was he okay?  
  
Would she ever see that stubby face again? Would she ever see that likeable grin ever again?  
  
Oh God. Audrey must be so eaten up about this all.  
  
She had to be there to comfort her. She had to get out of here.  
  
But how? Julian obviously wasn't on her side. Joey couldn't do anything. Her parents thought they were helping her, sticking her here, out of the way.  
  
Won't anybody help me?  
  
Will I ever get out of here?  
  
__________________________________________________  
  
Jenny? Jenny?  
  
Not Jenny.  
  
No, it was him.  
  
Tom looked at the young man standing in front of him with hate.  
  
"What do you want, Julian?"  
  
"Nice to see you too, Tom." Julian replied in his usual fashion.  
  
"Where am I?" Tom looked around. Darkness surrounded him.  
  
"Some where between the living and the dead. I have gone through some effort to find you."  
  
"My apologies." Tom said sardonically.  
  
"I have decided this is to be my little base. Of course I won't be here for long, I have other responsibilities. Jenny needs to be cared for and you've proven that only I am fit for the job. But I'm sure Summer wouldn't mind your company."  
  
Summer stepped out of the shadows. Her eyes looked Julian up and down and then saw Tom, and collapsed in his arms.  
  
"Tom! Oh, Tom!" She sobbed into his chest.  
  
"Are you okay?" Tom asked, never taking his eyes off Julian's electric blue ones.  
  
"I was so scared." She cried.  
  
"It's all right. I'm here now."  
  
"Where are we, Tom?"  
  
Julian answered. "You see, Tom was in an accident. Typical. Can you not even drive a car without crashing into a wall? Anyway, he can't wake up so he's in the world of unconsciousness. The world where reality doesn't exist. Not exactly the world of Shadows. Not exactly a world but close enough. So, I decided I'd bring the weakest of the bunch in, excluding Tom, to keep him company."  
  
"How considerate of you." Tom snapped.  
  
"You should be very grateful that I haven't killed you already." Julian said in a cold voice.  
  
"Why haven't you?" Tom asked simply.  
  
Julian, seeming a bit taken aback by the question, took a couple of steps towards Tom and faced him squarely. "Because I play by the rules. I am bound by the rules."  
  
Something passed between the two boys then; a sort of begrudging understanding.  
  
"And you love Jenny." Tom finished softly.  
  
Julian smiled; a smile that was as enigmatic as himself. "And I love Jenny."  
  
Tom had never understood Julian and he never dreamed of being able to figure out the Shadow Man that fell in love with his girlfriend but Tom understood one thing. Tom wasn't dead. If it had just been up to Julian, Tom would be dead long ago but Julian was treading softly.  
  
In the end, Tom thought grimly amused, it was Jenny's game.  
  
Julian had to play by Jenny's rules because if he didn't, he'd lose her completely. It had always been that way and Tom wondered why he hadn't seen it before. Why else would Julian have keep Summer alive?  
  
Jenny was the main player. She was the centre of the circle. She was the middle of everything.  
  
She meant everything to the two boys. That was the one and only thing they would ever have in common.  
  
Other wise they were the complete opposites. Julian loved to be original. Tom, on the other hand, was glad when things stayed the same way because he was happy with the way thing were. He loved his life. Tom didn't need to change anything. He never found his life boring, not with Jenny in it.  
  
Of course, Julian didn't have Jenny.  
  
Then again, if Jenny belonged to Julian, would he like things original? Jenny would fulfil him. He wouldn't need anything exotic and intoxicating in his life. Jenny was enough for them. Julian would want things to stay the same then because, with Jenny, he'd be happy and things wouldn't always have to change.  
  
Julian was evil. Tom wasn't. But then again, did Julian have a different side? The side that he only revealed when Jenny was near death. The side she forced out of him. The side that he really wanted to be but could never actually push the Shadow man in him away. The side that maybe Jenny could see. The side he tried to hide so much. The side that made him an outcast among the other Shadow Men.  
  
Everyone had their demons, Tom had once been told. Was that Julian's demon? The Shadow man in him?  
  
And was Julian really that evil? He had never killed anyone but he had terrorised and hurt Tom's friends.  
  
But was that just Julian's sigh of affection for Jenny? Was that just a desperate try to win Jenny?  
  
And if everyone had Julian's power, would they do what Julian had done?  
  
It was a new thought that Tom had never indulged in before. If Tom were a Shadow Man that had all that power and loved Jenny, watched Jenny all that time, would he have followed in Julian's footsteps?  
  
Maybe they weren't that different after all. They had the same sarcastic humour, the same confidence and charming way with the girls.  
  
They were both good looking in their own ways. Okay, maybe Julian's was more noticeable. His colouring was strange and shocking yet Tom had his good looks that nobody could ignore.  
  
They had both under estimated Jenny. Tom, with thinking she would stay with him forever and he didn't have to show her how much she actually meant to him. Julian, in thinking she would never defeat him, but he had lost all three of the games. Everytime she had fooled him, thinking she was weak and helpless when Julian should have known she wasn't.  
  
The two boys seemed to be on the same line of thought. They looked each other up and down, not ready to lung each other but the hostility was still there.  
  
Julian smiled again and then walked away leaving Tom and Summer alone.  
  
Summer looked confused. "What was that all about? You two just stared at each other for like ten minutes. What were you doing? Having a staring competition?"  
  
Tom didn't answer her.  
  
"Hey," Summer said. "Is that the new game? Who can go without blinking for the longest because that doesn't sound half as scary as the other games although if I have to stare into a snakes eyes, I think I'll be blinking a bit."  
  
And Summer went on like this for a while as Tom completely ignored her, wondering was everybody okay.  
  
___________________________________________________________  
  
Light.  
  
Zach opened his eyes. He had fallen asleep. His mother was shaking him. "Zachary, wake up!" He opened his eyes and was shocked by the sight of his mother. She looked very worried and upset. "What's wrong?" Zach asked quickly. "Are you okay?" Her mom nodded quickly. She said, "Zach, it's-"  
  
"Jenny! Jenny! Is she okay? I have to go see her." Zach was getting up, moving. "Has she disappeared? Dammit, Julian got her. I have to go to Jenny."  
  
"Zach." His mom caught his hand and he looked back at her and felt a twinge of fear. What's wrong?  
  
Had the shadows got somebody else?  
  
"It's Tom and Michael." She said shakily. "They've been in an accident."  
  
"They've been in an accident." Zach repeated dimly.  
  
"And Summer. Summer isn't around. She went to bed last night and wasn't there this morning. There seemed to be a bit of a struggle in her room."  
  
"That all happened last night?"  
  
"All last night." His mom confirmed. Zach felt his inside squirm. That was while I was here, curled in a ball, crying.  
  
"Michael's awake. He's a bit fuzzy but doctors say he'll be okay. He banged his head and he's arms broken."  
  
"Tom?"  
  
"Tom hasn't woke up yet."  
  
"Oh God." Zach said. "We have to go."  
  
"I know." His mother said. "Let's go."  
  
------------------------ _______________________________________________________  
  
"Michael's awake." Joey had said shortly. "Tom's not. The doctors don't know if he'll ever wake up."  
  
Jenny cried. She had cried all last night and she would cry all today. Doctors kept coming in and annoying her but she ignored them.  
  
What she wanted was her friends but none of them came.  
  
More news came though: Summer had gone missing.  
  
Jenny, at the moment was feeling suicidal but she wouldn't end her life because there was something she wanted to do first.  
  
She wanted to get revenge on Julian.  
  
She looked at the girl in the mirror and frowned.  
  
She had become bitter. She had become the person that she had never wanted to be.  
  
Return good for evil, ha. Even Julian made fun of her for that. It was stupid. It was naïve and she couldn't believe in it anymore.  
  
If she did that, the world was going to pass her by, laughing at her all the way.  
  
There was obviously some kind of game going on. Some thing Julian had devised for them to play.  
  
"Well I'm done playing." She said aloud and saw the bitter girl in the mirror say it as well. Then they smiled at each other and Jenny knew it was not a very nice smile.  
  
Her green eyes were darker than usual. Her hair was tied into a ponytail. Her skin was pale and frail looking and she was still too skinny. She looked weak but Jenny knew there was something new there. The one thing Julian had given her was strength. Strength nothing in this world could have given her.  
  
She was going to use that strength against him. 


	10. Ch 10 Rules

Part ten.  
  
"Audrey," Dee said to the pale girl. "It's going to be okay."  
  
Audrey looked up at Dee, her copper hair contrasting strangely to her ghostly white face. "It's not going to be okay." Audrey said in a wobbly voice. "How is it going to be okay? Don't be so stupid." Her voice was too high and annoying.  
  
"Audrey-"  
  
"Julian's back," Audrey said. They had talked about it last night, and agreed that Julian was back and then they had found the car crash and the two boys. "Julian's back and he is starting a new game."  
  
"We don't know the rules." Dee said firmly. "He wouldn't start the games without us knowing."  
  
"Yes." Said Audrey. "But Julian never told us the rules, did he? He told Jenny."  
  
Dee understood then. Jenny wouldn't have been able to talk to them. She was up in the loony place. They'd have to go up to Jenny to find out.  
  
"We can use my car." Audrey said, knowing that they both knew what they had to do.  
The doctors didn't follow them into Jenny's room. Audrey said she wanted some privacy and they gave it to her because no man could resist Audrey and Dee. If they wanted something, they got it. There was no questions asked.  
  
Jenny was asleep in the corner of her room. Her face was wet. She had been crying.  
  
"Jenny," Dee said, bending down to Jenny's level.  
  
Jenny's wild green eyes opened. She didn't say anything. She didn't move.  
  
"Jenny, it's us." Audrey said in case Jenny didn't recognise them. "Audrey and Dee. We're your friends."  
  
"I know." Jenny said. Then, "What's wrong? Why are you here?"  
  
"We just-"  
  
"Is Tom okay?"  
  
"Jenny," Dee said in a quiet firm voice and Jenny shut up and listened. "Tom's in the same state he's been since the crash. Summer's still missing. Michael's getting better."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Okay, now, Jenny." Dee was speaking like a parent. "Don't panic but we think Julian may be back."  
  
"He is back." Jenny confirmed.  
  
"Well, we want to know what the new game is so we can send his sorry ass back to the Shadow World."  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Are you sure, Jenny? Think now."  
  
"I really don't know. He didn't say much. Just the usual stuff."  
  
"The usual stuff? Oh yeah," Audrey said. "The usual stuff."  
  
"Well," Dee said. "Next time he comes, will you ask? We'll be back tomorrow. Try to get the info if you can."  
  
"He usually loves telling me there's a new game." Jenny said with a slight laugh. "He won't be able to resist me asking him."  
Jenny was tired. She wanted to go to sleep but she had to stay awake because she knew Julian would be here tonight.  
  
"Julian," She said lightly to herself. "Come on. I'm going to go asleep soon if you don't hurry up."  
  
For some reason, she expected him to hear her and be right behind her saying some smart remark but he didn't come. She knew he was watching her because he always was but he obviously felt he didn't need to unmask himself from the shadows tonight.  
  
She soon fell asleep.  
  
He didn't come to her.  
"I should tell you something." Summer said and Tom tilted his head to the side to look at her.  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"Well, you know, when I couldn't face my nightmare in the first game and had to stay in the Shadow World for a while, well, a lot of things happened there that I didn't tell you about."  
  
"I thought you were just asleep." Tom said.  
  
"Well, that's what I thought too. I mean I was confused and all but now that I've come to terms with everything, I remember."  
  
"Did he hurt you?" Tom asked.  
  
"Well." She thought about it for a couple of minutes. "There was a couple of times, you know, when he was really angry."  
  
"But. when? I mean, after the first game, he was locked in the closet, then the second game went straight into the third. He wouldn't have had time." Tom asked.  
  
"Well, the time is different in the Shadow World. He changed it to our time through the games because he didn't want to mess Jenny up, but after the first game, he put the time to normal Shadow Man time. Well, it did mess me up a bit but I was all ready so confused that it didn't make much of a difference. A day in our time was a long time in the Shadow World. Well, after the first game, he needed time to prepare."  
  
"But where do you come into all this?" Tom asked.  
  
"You know, when he was building a model of our neighbour hood or writing down his plans for the second game, he needed company so I'd keep him company. Okay, when he first got out of the closet, he well, he tortured me pretty badly. I've only started remembering that lately and that's why I can't really sleep. He used to make me watch while he killed my family. What I thought was my family, anyway. Over and over again, in the most horrific ways he could think of. He used to kill images of you all the time, Tom." She looked at him and smiled weakly. "But I won't get into that."  
  
"That was when he was really angry though, because he knew Jenny had tricked him. But once he settled down, he wasn't so bad. Most of the time he talked about Jenny. That seemed to make him happy. He said he never had anyone to talk to about Jenny before and I felt a bit sorry for him .If I shut up and listened he wouldn't hurt me. It got a bit boring after a while.  
  
"I mean, I couldn't sleep or anything but I hanged on. He also liked talking about human things. You know, movies, books, Music, that sort of thing. It seemed to make him feel human. Though I didn't know anything about what he was talking about most the time. We were totally into different things and I could hardly disagree with him. He read these big books, I normally read magazines but I pretended I was all into what he was talking about.  
  
"Still, he knew a lot about us humans. I was surprised. He never talked about the Shadow World though but he bragged about his powers and compared himself to you a lot. Sorry Tom, but I had to say some mean things about you to him if he asked for my opinion. He expected it and I wasn't going to put up an argument."  
  
He went over to her and put his arms around her in a comforting hug. "How horrible for you." He said.  
  
"It was horrible. Still, he saved me from the Shadow Men when they demanded they had the right to eat me. He said, "No, she's my prey." I was so scared. The only thing scarier than Julian is the shadow men. At least Julian looks human and acts human. Sometimes. I was so scared he'd let them eat me. I thanked him afterwards and he was really cool about it. I know it was for Jenny and all but it was still a nice thing to do, you know. I really thought he was going to feed me to them. I mean, what difference did it really make to him?"  
  
"It made Jenny happy, I suppose. I mean, it made her believe he had a good side." Tom said.  
  
"Do you think he has a good side?" Summer asked earnestly.  
  
"No. I mean, in the end, he is a Shadow Man."  
  
"He loves Jenny." Summer said and Tom felt a tang of annoyance. As if that explained everything.  
  
"Well, I love Jenny too." 


	11. Unbreakable Oath

Okay, please review! Thanks to all the beautiful people who have reviewed previously. I luv you all! X  
  
Part eleven - Higher Risks  
  
"It's been too long. I'm worried about Summer. Maybe I did only imagine Julian. He would be here by now."  
  
"Do you think you imagined him?" Dee asked Jenny.  
  
"No."  
  
"Look, Jenny. Summer's missing and Tom's in a coma. It all kind of leads to Julian. And with us all being scared senseless in our own homes, it's has to be him. Michael was telling that he saw Marie," Dee looked over at Audrey expectantly and she muttered, "Horse," Dee continued. "Outside his window. He said shadows swallowed her up or something."  
  
"Survey says, Julian." Zach said.  
  
"Yeah," Audrey said. "But what can we do?"  
  
"We can get the hell out of here." Zach said. "Now that we have the chance."  
  
"Do you really think Julian would let us go?"  
  
"Probably not." Zach said. "But I can't just sit here. He mightn't find us."  
  
"You should go." Jenny told them all. "He'd let you go and just take me."  
  
"You just know we're never going to do that." Dee said. Audrey nodded.  
  
"But I think I will, you know, give in this time." Jenny said it in a voice that tried to show that she didn't care and it wasn't that big of a deal. Her friends exploded.  
  
"What?" Dee screamed while Audrey shouted, "Are you out of your mind?"  
  
Technically, Jenny thought, I am out of my mind but she just stared at her friends solemnly waiting for them to calm down. Zach wasn't actually saying anything but he was angry. She knew he was by his expression.  
  
"It's just, guys, I don't think I want to play another game. I mean, in the end, is it ever going to stop. I mean, the last time he died and he's still around, wanting to play? Will it ever end? I just want it all to stop!"  
  
Jenny's voice rose and rose and by the end she was nearly screaming. Her eyes filled with warmth.  
  
"Don't give in to the game before you know the rules."  
  
"Julian, I was wondering when you'd show up." Dee said sharply.  
  
Julian didn't really care. "Come, Jenny."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said, Come. You want to know the rules, you said, then come and I'll tell you."  
  
"Just tell me here." Jenny said.  
  
Julian gave a smile that just meant 'When did we ever do that?'  
  
"Where do you think you're going to go?" Dee asked. "For a walk? She's stuck in this mental hospital, remember? There's security guards all over the place."  
  
Julian smiled and Jenny was shocked by how evil he looked.  
  
"They won't be a problem anymore." Julian said with a deep laugh. The four teenagers exchanged glances.  
  
"Jenny," He walked towards the door and waited for her. She knew the door would be unlocked.  
  
With a final glance at her friends, she followed him out of the door. One look outside and she screamed.  
  
"Jenny," Came Julian's reassuring and soft voice. "Don't look at it. Just keep walking. No, not that way. This way, you see. Towards the door. We're getting you out of this place. That's it. Don't look. Close your eyes if you have to. I'll lead you."  
  
Jenny, who would never trust him enough to close her eyes in case he pushed her into the Shadow World or something, kept her eyes glued on the ceiling but even that showed horrific things.  
  
Julian kept a firm grip on her, sending shivers through her. It still hadn't sunk in. Nothing was so bad as this. Even the nightmares hadn't been like this. This was simply too awful to digest. She was numb with shock so she let him lead her, feeling utterly confused.  
  
Then it sunk in. Her knees felt weak and she thought she was going to get sick. She tried to pull away from him. To run? To get sick? To escape through that door in front of here but he wouldn't let her.  
  
She looked at Julian and trembled. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. She could only ask one thing,  
  
"Did you have to kill them all?"  
  
He nodded, with eyes as blue as. Well, Jenny didn't know what to compare his eyes too. They were different. He was different. He wasn't the same as he used to be. Jenny didn't understand. She was different as well.  
  
She had a feeling the game was going to be completely different.  
  
She was too confused to feel angry or afraid. She was trembling uncontrollably. Her mind was showing her pictures of the horrible scenes she'd just witnessed.  
  
"Why?" She asked.  
  
"They were in my way. I had to get you out of there." Then he smiled. "Besides, they were mean to you. I would never let anyone be mean to you, Jenny."  
  
He has done it all for me. I thought he was good, that he had changed when he had died for me in the end but I had been wrong.  
  
Killing all those people, that was his idea of good. And he didn't kill them quick. She'd seen everything. He had tortured them, loving every minute of it. He was different than a human.  
  
"Did you hurt anybody else? I mean, you haven't hurt other people, have you?"  
  
"No. Only Marie. Not yet."  
  
"Could you bring them back to life again? Those people in there, I mean."  
  
"I'm not sure. What are you asking me?"  
  
"Could you bring them back to life?"  
  
Julian shrugged.  
  
"I know you could. I mean, I've been doing my research. If a shadow man kills someone without damaging the soul then they can bring them back."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
Jenny kissed him. She kissed him just the way he liked it. She could feel his body responding to hers.  
  
"Bring them back to life, Julian."  
  
"Give in and I will. I'll do everything you want, just give in once and for all. You said it yourself, you were going to give in anyway."  
  
"No, I wasn't."  
  
"Jenny, you said you were going to give in to your friends back there."  
  
"You were taking too long." She said. "I had you fooled, didn't I? Perhaps you don't know me as well as you think."  
  
"I know you better than you know yourself."  
  
She kissed him again because it was the only thing she thought of to do. She wanted to weaken him a little. Set him off guard.  
  
"It's time to end this now, Jenny."  
  
"How about this?" Jenny said. "You love a good game."  
  
"As do you."  
  
"Well, let's higher the risks a bit. If I win, You have to leave my friends and me alone. Forever. You have to make all those people back alive. We'll make an oath so neither of us can break it. Do you agree?"  
  
"What if I win?"  
  
Fear flashed in Jenny's eyes but she was excited. She thought she was going to win and she tried not to worry.  
  
"That's for you to decide."  
  
Julian had three terms that she had to agree to before he made the oath. The first one, she'd be his, totally, blah, blah, blah. It was the same old thing. The second was that she gave him permission to do a spell on her.  
  
"What spell?"  
  
"It'll just make you forget certain people." Julian answered.  
  
Understanding dawned on Jenny's face. "Tom."  
  
"Mainly him. Also your friends, family. Anyone you love apart from me. I never was very good at sharing."  
  
Jenny had to lean against a wall to support herself. "You have to promise not to kill anymore people, especially the people I won't remember."  
  
Julian's eyelids drooped. Still, he said, "Do we have a deal?"  
  
"What's the third term?" She asked.  
  
Julian smiled. His eyes flashed in a dangerous way and Jenny felt her throat well up. He didn't say anything but smiled in that way. He looked at Jenny from top to bottom with an admiring smile.  
  
"You mean-" Jenny didn't continue.  
  
Julian nodded. "Do we have a deal?" 


	12. Trapped

Well, thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love you all and, as you all know, the characters and stuff belong to L. J. Smith. I love you lots if you are reading this. Reviews will make me adore you, and shower you with gifts (Well, not literally. I'm broke.) Well, now that I'm finished my nonsense babbling - on with the show. _______________________________________________________ Part Twelve - The New Game  
  
"Deal." Jenny said without hesitation. Don't think about it, she commanded herself, I'm going to win. He held out his hand and like professional people they shook hands, sending tingles through Jenny's arm. Drawing back her hand, she noticed his ring on her finger.  
  
It still said I am my only master much to Jenny's astonishment.  
  
"You are your only master, Jenny. I learnt that a long time ago."  
  
"Oh yeah? Then why won't this ring come off my finger?"  
  
"Because I knew you'd take it off. You might be your only master but I am the one with the power." He smiled.  
  
"I just can't believe you did that. I mean, all those people."  
  
"Now, for the oath." Julian told her in a soft voice.  
  
It was a long oath. Julian's memorising voice made Jenny feel light-headed. She dimly repeated what he had said not understanding a word of it. She was still in shock, she realised. After what she had just seen, it wasn't unexpected.  
  
Jenny felt her knees go weak. Slowly tears welled up in her eyes. He was back. She knew he would be back. She had to warn everyone. But he couldn't hurt anybody else anymore. He had taken an oath and Julian couldn't break it. Jenny thought back to when she had broken hers but Julian was much too honourable for that. Well, that's what Jenny would have thought if he hadn't killed all those people.  
  
Jenny wasn't to feel angry with him. She wanted to mourn for all those people. She wanted to cry for them. There were tears in her eyes but they were only of confusion and frustration. Everything was happening to fast. She didn't understand and she didn't want to.  
  
All she knew was that she was out of the mental hospital. She knew she should be afraid as well but at the moment all she could feel was fresh air. She took a step away from the hospital.  
  
One step and suddenly she was running. She didn't know where. That didn't matter. She felt the cold winds lash against her and she felt free. I'm out, I'm out. It didn't matter about Julian anymore. The minute she had said the oath he had disappeared.  
  
She knew he'd be back. She knew he'd come and start a game but Jenny couldn't feel scared anymore. She wasn't angry or upset. She was cold in the inside. Perhaps her feelings had shut down. Perhaps they couldn't cope but she was glad. Who needed to feel scared anyway?  
__________________________________________________________________  
"She fell for it, didn't she?" Tom said spitefully. He knew it the minute Julian appeared with a devilishly handsome grin on his face.  
  
"I can be very convincing." Julian said, his eyes dancing like the core of a flame.  
  
"So, where is she?" Summer asked. "I mean, you made her give in, right?"  
  
"Jenny wouldn't give in like that. No. She wants to play another game."  
  
"She wants to play another game?" Tom said. Summer choked. "You can't be serious."  
  
"That's not fair. She's weak and feeble now." Tom said.  
  
"Jenny's never weak and feeble, Tommy. Haven't you learnt that yet? She was the one that suggested the game. And do you know why? Because she loves it. It satisfies her in a way you never could, Tom, and you know that. Her beautiful eyes lighted up in excitement. She suggested her terms and let me suggest mine. Then she swore an unbreakable oath."  
  
"What were her terms?" Summer asked.  
  
"If she won the game, that I'd leave you all alone and bring those people back to life."  
  
"But they aren't even dead. That's was just an image! That's not fair." Summer screeched.  
  
"Life isn't fair."  
  
"You cheated!" Summer accused.  
  
"I did not cheat. I didn't force her to do anything. She suggested it. It was her idea not mine."  
  
"But-"  
  
"So, I might have withheld some information. I'll tell her soon enough."  
  
"But by then it'll be too late." Tom said darkly. "She's already swore the oath."  
  
Julian smirked. "I know."  
  
_____________________________________________________________________The fear was back. Walking down the road, she felt bare and open. The people around her were so loud and violent. She thought they were going to start throwing stones at her this minute. She had changed into jeans before but she still felt like she was wearing her insane uniform. People kept staring at her. Sure, her hair was awful and she probably looked a sight but did they have to keep staring? Isn't that a bit rude?  
  
She felt like they were backing away from her. They were whispering about her. She just knew it. Every whisper seemed to cut through her. She was being paranoid; she knew that but it didn't help matters.  
  
Just keep walking, Jenny. One step. Two step. She was walking to the hospital where Michael and Tom were. She needed to be near Tom; even if he wasn't awake.  
  
"Jenny!" Michael looked up at her with wide eyes.  
  
"Be quiet." Jenny said. "I shouldn't be here."  
  
"You mean."  
  
"I broke out. Well, Julian broke me out."  
  
"Julian! So, he's definitely back then."  
  
"Yeah, and he's a bit different than before."  
  
"He doesn't love you anymore?"  
  
"No, he still does. Unfortunately but he, well, he killed a lot of people. And I don't think he's ready to stop."  
  
Michael looked across to the bed beside him. "Tom."  
  
"Yes, Tom. He's so weak here. He can't even defend himself. Now Julian made an oath that he wouldn't hurt anyone anymore."  
  
"An oath? And what exactly did you have to do to make him make this oath?"  
  
She gave him a trace of a smile. "I made an oath too."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Well, we're playing a game again. If I win, he keeps his part of the deal. If he wins, I keep my side of the deal."  
  
"What's the game?"  
  
Jenny shrugged.  
  
"How are you doing?" She said, changing the subject.  
  
"Oh, okay."  
  
"And Tom?"  
  
"The doctors are starting to worry. You know, Jenny, that he might never wake up."  
  
"Damn it!" She slammed her foot down and he jumped. "I should have made Julian make Tom better."  
  
"You couldn't now? I mean, Jenny, I know it's a big sacrifice on your part but you couldn't. I don't know. convince him to now. I mean, if anyone could, you could."  
  
"But I don't know what else to give him." She said. She'd been standing all this time but now she sat down in a big visitor's chair with a frustrated sigh.  
  
"Either do I but there must be something. Say what else he wants from you."  
  
Jenny shifted uncomfortably. "Well, you know the first is to own me completely, etc. The second is permission to do a spell on me so I'll forget everyone."  
  
"He doesn't want to share." Michael understood.  
  
"The third, well, you know."  
  
Michael nodded quickly, understanding completely. He wasn't laughing.  
  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
"How long will we have to stay here?" Summer whined.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Could you guess? It would help if you guess. Please tell me it won't be much longer."  
  
"A couple of minutes, maybe." Tom grunted. He knew the time here was supposed to be longer. Tom was disoriented and confused. Summer had said that would happen because the time was different.  
  
"I'm so bored." Summer told him.  
  
"I just hope everyone's okay."  
  
"They will be. Won't they? Of course they will Tom. They will, won't they?" She looked up at Tom pleadingly.  
  
Tom couldn't answer her. He wanted to comfort her, to tell her everything was okay but he didn't want to lie and that's what he'd be doing.  
  
"I just wish things would hurry on." He said.  
  
She's so scared, Tom realised and I can't do anything to help her. Tom hadn't been very good at anything since he'd met Julian. He was even losing his grip on Football.  
  
"I don't know what to do. I mean, I want to go to sleep but then I don't. You know what I mean?"  
  
Tom didn't know what she meant. If she wanted to go to sleep then she might as well. Nothing else was happening and she was annoying Tom. Tom wanted to be on his own. He wanted to think things over preciously and decide on his course of action. He wanted to figure everything out but he couldn't with Summer whining in his ear.  
  
"Just go to sleep." He said wearily. It wasn't her fault of course. Tom couldn't stand waiting just as much as she could but he had to deal with it. Julian was gone now. Was he with Jenny? Was he watching her from the shadows or was he kissing her, playing with her? Tom didn't know and that annoyed him. In all the games Tom could never protect Jenny.  
  
In the first game, he was strapped to a clock, watching her suffer. In the second game, he had become jealous and hadn't been there when she needed him the most. He thought he'd done the right thing, going back for Zach. He thought he was being brave but he had played right into Julian's hands and had got himself captured again.  
  
Julian wanted him out of the way. Apparently Julian thought that Jenny might forget about Tom and give in to him.  
  
Would it work?  
  
He knew by Jenny's attitude towards Julian that it had. She had kissed Julian. She had wanted Julian. But his Jenny hadn't given in and that was important. That was the most important thing.  
  
Jenny didn't deserve to live in the dark. Julian couldn't drag her down. Tom wouldn't let him. Jenny was too strong for Julian.  
  
But she was different now. Sometimes Tom even dreaded that she wanted to become a creature of the darkness.  
  
Jenny had changed after the first game. She had become more beautiful and wild. But she hadn't flipped. That had only come when she saw how much Julian loved her. She had only gone crazy after Julian had sacrificed himself to save her life.  
  
___________________________________________________________________  
  
Fragments of the last three games skipped through her mind.  
  
"We're too late." She had whispered looking at that box, the game. "He's out." That signature, P.C. and Slug's death.  
  
Then she had seen Julian at the balcony, "Famished." He had said.  
  
"Yellow roses mean infidelity, you know."  
  
Her fear, her terror, her anger.  
  
Then at the end, he'd died. Died for her. All her friends wanted to. They would have sacrificed themselves as well. But Julian did. In the end, Julian let them get away and the Shadow Men killed him.  
  
But now he was back, with his unreality and his games and his darkness and there was nothing she could do.  
  
"This ring, the symbol of my oath, Will hold me to the words I speak: All I refuse and thee I chuse."  
  
Jenny was staring at that ring now. The ring that said she was her only master. But Julian said, "He was the one with the power." So what difference did it make? She might be her only master but she belonged to Julian. She had sworn that stupid oath. The oath that couldn't be broken.  
  
Had she wanted it?  
  
Maybe. But not anymore. She had changed. She loved Tom. Things were different. Julian had killed people. He might have killed Summer. She didn't know what to do.  
  
Yes she did. She had to win his game, whatever it was.  
  
She was tired. Holding Tom's hand, staring at the ring. She was so overwhelmed with emotions and thoughts.  
  
I just can't deal, she thought miserably. She needed Tom. She needed secure arms to hold her, support her. Somehow, if Tom were here, everything would be okay. But the cold reality was that Tom wasn't with her and he mightn't ever be.  
  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
She was so cold. Dark arms wrapped around herself, she continued down the empty street. Bitter wind swept through her hair. Trees rustled around her but the street was deserted. There was no people or animals on the street. She was completely and utterly alone.  
  
"Tom?" Dee called out.  
  
There was no use. Dee knew it. She kept moving down the street. The scenery around her was like a loop. Nothing changed. Trees here and a couple of bushes there. A thick grey wall seemed to block her of from everything else. There was no where to go but down the empty street.  
  
"Audrey?"  
  
Her voice echoed, bouncing off the walls and coming back to her in shock waves. Except her echoed voice sounded different. It sounded mocking and cruel. Evil.  
  
"Jenny?"  
  
She kept calling. She didn't like walking down the street on her own. She felt open and vulnerable. She somehow knew that there was nothing she could do to defend herself.  
  
"Zach?"  
  
She didn't like this feeling. She felt lonely as if her friends had abandoned her.  
  
"Michael?"  
  
A gate creaked open and closed. That's strange, Dee thought, the gate led to a wall. Why would anyone have a gate leading to a wall? It was making a creepy sound though. Creak. Creak.  
  
"Summer?"  
  
She was becoming desperate. She wanted her friends badly and now. Suddenly her echoed voice sounded scared. 'Summer' came out in a tremble. Dee didn't know why she was scared only she knew she should be.  
  
Finally she knew who to call. The only person who would hear her.  
  
"Julian?"  
  
____________________________________________________________________  
  
Dee woke up with a start. Nightmares. That's all they are.  
  
Dee didn't normally suffer nightmares and if she did, she never remembered them. She was never bothered with them. That was before April 22nd and now, she was in a loop of nightmares and anger and just plain fear.  
  
She should make something like that you know, like BJ and AJ. Before Julian and after Julian. You know, like BC and AD.  
  
BJ, she was brave and tough. AJ, she was having nightmares and being a coward.  
  
Oh, it all had to do with Julian.  
  
Julian had changed everything and she hated it. He was the one giving her the nightmares. The feeling of fear and loneliness hadn't left her though. She quickly dialled Audrey's number. She just needed someone to talk to. 


	13. Lust and love

Keep reading and reviewing. X  
Part thirteen - Lust and love  
  
Julian appeared, looking as attractive as always.  
  
Smilingly, he walked around the room. He seemed truly delighted with himself.  
  
Jenny watched him wearily. "What is the new game?" She asked.  
  
Julian smiled. "You'll see."  
  
Silence rang in the room. "Get Audrey, Zach, Dee, Michael and yourself here. I'll bring Tom and Summer."  
  
"Then what?" She asked.  
  
"Then," Julian eyes flashed and rainbow colours seemed to glow in his strange hair. "We play." Jenny felt hypnotised as he took a step towards her and bent his head.  
  
Oh Julian, she thought passionately as he kissed her. Oh Julian. He was so beautiful. He was so different. She was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of him. She knew him so well. She wanted him so bad.  
  
Just give in, Jenny, she thought to herself. Give in and you can be as happy as this forever.  
  
She felt so free. Everything that had happened over the lash couple of months was forgotten. Julian would take care of it and although she didn't feel safe with Julian, she felt protected from the rest of the world. He'd die for her and that meant everything.  
  
She was kissing him back. Of course she was, she couldn't resist. The fire that she thought she'd lost, the part of her that belonged to him that she thought she'd locked away, they were alive again. Alive and kicking and wanting and needing.  
  
Julian was the one thing that nothing on this world could supply her with. Julian was so unique and different and she found herself responding to that. She found herself thinking she was unique and different too.  
  
Maybe if she went to the Shadow World she wouldn't have to become a creature of the darkness. Julian would keep her away from all that. Julian would just keep her with him and that's what she wanted.  
  
She wanted the electricity. The fire. The Daring. The excitement. She wanted the fear, the anxiety, and the love. The Passion. She was in love with the danger.  
  
She could nearly hear his voice now. Like the time when he had told her about his views on life and she had just nearly given in. "War and hunting and chasing - that's all there is. That's life, Jenny - and no one can escape it.  
  
"And why should we? There's excitement in the chase, Jenny. It gets the blood going. It sends chills through the body.  
  
"Love and death are everything, Jenny. Danger is the best part of the game."  
  
Oh Julian.  
  
She was being completely supported by him now. She felt like a puddle in his arms. She felt so relieved. She felt like suddenly everything was okay. It was like she had been covered in dirt and stepped into the shower and have it all sweep of her. No more dirt anymore, just Julian.  
  
She needed him. How did she ever think she was going to live without him? Without him, life would be colourless and boring.  
  
Without Julian, she'd waste away.  
  
They couldn't keep kissing. She knew it but he certainly wasn't going to break this embrace and she didn't want to.  
  
She'd have to.  
  
She took her lips away from his and he instantly started raining kisses along her neck. She was kissing his cheek as well, and around his ear. She couldn't stop herself. She didn't want to stop and why should she?  
  
"Jenny?" Came a weak voice. She didn't look up. She didn't want to.  
  
Julian didn't even acknowledge the voice. He was kissing her lips again and Jenny felt swept away into a different world. Not the Shadow World. A world of love and joy and passion and Julian.  
  
But that voice came again and this time, she had to look up.  
  
Joey was looking at her with terrified eyes, beside a Michael who looked like he had been electrocuted.  
  
She didn't want to look at them, didn't want to think about them. At that moment, they looked like the shadows; the darkness and Julian looked like the only escape route.  
  
His kisses became more urgent as she had stopped to look at her little brother. She fell back to him and he softened. His hands were in her hair now. Rubbing, massaging. Her hair felt on fire. in a good way. She was hot. Her face was flushed.  
  
All her feelings were exploding like fireworks. His kisses were perfect, red hot and dangerous. Just the way she liked it.  
  
Then she heard a sound, a sound that took all the pleasure away. A loud sobbing, like that of a burbling baby.  
  
She looked up again when she had the chance and saw Joey crying.  
  
Jenny pulled away from Julian. Looking into his strange blue eyes, she saw confusion. Then Julian saw Joey's tears and something like anger and understanding flashed in his eyes.  
  
"Joey," Jenny ran to him, putting her arms around him. She no longer felt hot, she felt cold. She didn't feel wild and dangerous anymore. She felt weak and embarrassed and ashamed.  
  
Joey backed away, still crying.  
  
"It's all my fault." Joey whined. "Oh Jenny, I should have known. You can't beat him. I've just made everything worse."  
  
Jenny hugged him then. Michael kept his eyes on Julian. "What's Joey talking about?"  
  
"Joey brought me back." Julian said, sounding like the soft hiss of a snake. "Joey brought me back." Julian was smiling and Jenny suddenly felt the fear again.  
  
"I guess I owe you a favour." Julian threw back his head and laughed. Joey was crying uncontrollably now. He was shaking.  
  
"Bringing me back, that makes you a player, you know."  
  
"No." Jenny said. She looked up at Julian and he looked back down at her. She tried to reach him, tried to reason. Then he smiled and she knew that all hope was lost.  
  
"He's too young. Julian, please." Fear was gnawing Jenny's insides.  
  
"He's not that young. He brought me back. He plays."  
  
"No." Jenny was feeling desperate. All her feelings had drained away into one. Fear. She was terrified. She looked into her brothers frightened green eyes. He seemed about to topple over. It isn't fair. She knew what Julian thought of fair but that didn't matter. Everything about this wasn't fair.  
  
Oh God, she thought. I'm going to faint. Michael was screaming at Julian, looking pitiful and hysterical. Jenny couldn't hear what Michael was saying though. Blood roared in her ears. What have I done? I started a new game.  
  
She couldn't support her own weight. She leaned against the wall. Her head was throbbing. She wished everything would just shut up. Julian was still there. Silent, watching Michael like a cat reading to pounce.  
  
Michael was still screaming. His voice was high pitched and glass shattering.  
  
"Michael, shut the hell up!" Jenny screeched. She couldn't think. Everything seemed grey now.  
  
Michael closed his mouth. He looked at Jenny with puppy dog eyes.  
  
"You're doing my head in. Screeching like a stupid girl."  
  
She whirled around to Julian. "And you! Get lost! Why are you following me around like a."  
  
"Like a shadow." Julian said.  
  
"Just go away." Jenny shouted.  
  
"I'll go when I'm ready." Julian said and there was something cold in his voice.  
  
Jenny threw herself towards him and put her hands around his neck. Julian was too surprised to stop her but once he got his bearings, he grabbed her by the scruff of her T-shirt and banged her up against the wall. "What are you doing?" He said in a low furious voice.  
  
Jenny could have killed him. She was kicking him but his grip was one of steel and there was no way to escape.  
  
"Are you going to kill me now?" She said and she sounded so insane, so crazy. Well, Jenny thought wildly, that's what I am. "You've drove me mad, you drove me crazy. So now what are you going to do? Go on, kill me. Put me out of my misery."  
  
"What's happened to you?" He asked. His voice revealed no emotion and he didn't let go of her.  
  
"I met a Shadow Man." Bitterly, she spat at him.  
  
She could see the fury in him. Now though it wasn't directed at her.  
  
"Let's go." He said. He lowered her down from the wall and held onto her wrist.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"We're going to the Shadow World." 


	14. Welcome to The shadow World

Only three parts left. Keep reading and reviewing!!!  
  
Part Fourteen - Welcome to the Shadow World  
  
"No! No! Julian." He was dragging her away. Joey was bawling like a baby. Michael was screaming again.  
  
Jenny tried to kick him. She was fighting him with sheer panic. She didn't feel good anymore. She felt evil and bad. Jenny really wanted to hurt Julian.  
  
I really have gone mad. That's good. Maybe I won't be able to think anymore. That's what she wanted.  
  
"Come on, Jenny." Julian said softly. He picked her up in his arms protectively and she struggled pathetically like a small brat in an adult's arms.  
  
Jenny felt dizzy for a minute. She dimly noticed the scenery around her change. From light to dark.  
  
Then she heard a voice. It wasn't the husky melody of Julian's. It was frightened and full of love and worry. "Jenny!"  
  
"Tom!"  
  
She practically jumped from Julian's arms.  
  
Jenny and Tom were in each other's arms in a matter of seconds. They were kissing and crying and apologising and sobbing together.  
  
"I love you, Tom. I missed you so much. I'm so sorry. What I said, it wasn't true. I need you. I love you."  
  
"I love you, Jenny. I'm so sorry. It's my entire fault. I should have protected you. I love you so much. Please forgive me."  
  
"Oh Tommy." Jenny sobbed into his chest.  
  
Tom clutched onto her, his face in her silky gold hair.  
  
"Thorny." He was crying as well. He didn't feel strong now. He felt he needed Jenny so strongly it was overwhelming. He was so aware of her at that moment. The feel of her soft skin, the smell of her hair, the coldness of her tears, the support of her arms, the desperation in her hold on him.  
  
They used to have a silent competition of who was stronger. She had proved to be just as strong as he is and he had found it hard to deal with. Their relationship had become different. They were both partners now, not like before when Tom had been the leader.  
  
Now, they just needed each other, strong or not.  
  
"Oh Thorny. Oh Thorny." He whispered. "Oh Thorny. Oh Thorny."  
  
"I've made a decision." Said a cold, barely leased angry voice.  
  
Julian.  
  
Jenny and Tom parted to face the Shadow Man together.  
  
"I have decided I don't care anymore about you giving in willingly." Julian said to Jenny. "I've decided that at the end of the first game, you said the oath and swore yourself to me. So technically, you belong to me. Willingly or not."  
  
"That's bull." Summer spoke up. Jenny hadn't even noticed her before.  
  
"Shut up." Julian said to Summer. "You also should be dead. Remember that." Summer shut up hastily.  
  
"You can't do that." Tom said. Tears were rolling down Jenny's face rapidly. She looked totally bewildered and terrified.  
  
"You changed the words on the ring, remember?" Jenny said. Her voice was tiny and thin.  
  
Instantly, the ring was in his hand. Jenny looked down at her bare finger slowly then up at that stupid glinting gold piece of crap that effected everything.  
  
She knew then, that he had changed the words.  
  
"All I refuse and thee I chuse." He said and then he smiled, his white teeth glinting madly in the dim light.  
  
"You can't just change your mind like that!" She yelled.  
  
"Oh, can't I?" Julian looked at her with insane blue eyes.  
  
"It isn't sporting!" Jenny said dully.  
  
"Does it look like I care? This isn't about games anymore. The games are over. You lost, Jenny. The Shadow man always wins. Shadow Men don't lose. It doesn't happen. I don't have to obey the rules. You're the one that asked for the game. You swore the oath, you knew the game was real and knew it was dangerous and could kill you. I wrote it on a box, remember? So don't talk to me about sporting! You were the one that broke your oath, locking me in that closet. So I don't want to play anymore."  
  
There was a shocked silence. Julian was furious. He was saying the words with a deadly fury. All of the anger he had when losing the three games was exploding now.  
  
Jenny was terrified. "But the new oath." She started weakly.  
  
"I didn't start a game yet. That oath only comes into play when one of us loses or wins."  
  
She was weeping softly. She couldn't think of anything else to say.  
  
"So, I don't have to keep my side of the oath. Which means, I can kill anyone I want." Julian lifted blue eyes to Tom.  
  
"No!" Jenny said. She stood between Tom and Julian. "You are not hurting him anymore. Take me if you want. I'm already lost. But Tom doesn't deserve this. You're right. I bought the first game, I said the oath. I agreed to the second game. You're right, okay? I'll say it again. The oath. I give in willingly, whatever. Just don't kill anymore people."  
  
"You give in?" Julian said.  
  
"Yes." She said soberly.  
  
"For Tom?"  
  
She didn't know what to say. If she said yes, he'd kill Tom. But if she said no, she'd be lying and she just didn't want to do it anymore. Anyway, he'd be stupid if he believed anything else.  
  
"This ring, the symbol of my oath, Will hold me to the words I speak: All I refuse and thee I chuse."  
  
That's what she said. She was thinking too fast. This is it. This is how it's going to be.  
  
She heard a sharp gasp from Tom.  
  
Julian kept his eyes on her then smiled and repeated the oath.  
  
There was a silence. Jenny could tell Summer wanted to say something but she didn't risk it.  
  
"Can you at least bring those people from the mental hospital back to life?" She said after a while. Her voice was insanely calm and detached.  
  
Julian threw back his head and laughed.  
  
He laughed and laughed and laughed. Jenny froze, shocked. Tom was radiating anger.  
  
"You cruel, evil son of a bitch." Tom said savagely.  
  
"What? What's going on?" Jenny said.  
  
Julian looked at her then, smilingly. "I didn't kill them. It was an image."  
  
Jenny felt like she couldn't breathe. She fell back on Tom, reeling.  
  
I wish I could just faint. I wish I could just die.  
  
"No!" Jenny was instantly transported back to the end of the second game. "I told you once not to mess with me," Then he had built up a wall of flames, encircling Jenny and her friends.  
  
Tom was holding her up. Jenny couldn't cope with anymore. She couldn't deal. She felt so lost, like she was in the middle of a maze and there was no possible way out. grip. Summer hugged Jenny then. Numbly, she stroked her fluffy hair.  
  
Summer and Jenny was wailing. Tom was still holding Jenny up in a secure warm grip. 


	15. ch 15 near the end

Part Fifteen - Goodbye  
  
Jenny couldn't function right. Every aspect of her brain was gone in a bang. She had suddenly lost a year of sleep.  
  
Doom had surrounded her. Everything seemed to have frozen now into place. All She could hear was her own sobbing. Then slowly she looked up at Julian. His eyes were flashing strangely. She wasn't sure what to do. She stared at him, open-mouthed.  
  
Her mind seemed to have had a broke down. Then slowly, she looked up at Tom and touched his face gently.  
  
"This is it, Tommy." She said gently to him. She didn't want Julian to hear but she had a feeling he could anyway.  
  
She loved Tommy so much. For a minute, she thought she could someday learn to love Julian but she couldn't. Nobody could replace Tom. Julian was gorgeous. He was exotic and dangerous and she could desire him but she could never love him. Love was a strong emotion that couldn't be forced upon someone. It had to be built up and developed over Time. Like Tom and her. Tom was her best friend. He understood her in a way only people really close to each other could.  
  
"I love you, Tom."  
  
Tom was crying. Little tears were trickled down his face. Tom had sacrificed so much for her. He had walked into those flames with her at the end of the second game. He hadn't believed it so he had practically walked into his own death. For her. Then, at the end of the third game, he had been the first one to want to die for her. It was all for her. He met death numerous times, so calmly and smoothly, for her. Why? Because he loved her.  
  
"Oh Tom!" She couldn't imagine never seeing him ever again. She loved him so much. She loved him so much it hurt. And it was awful to think that she'd have to live with that pain for the rest of her life.  
  
"Thorny," Tom was looking down at her taking in every aspect of her. She was so important to him. Everything, college, his career, everything meant nothing to him. He wanted Jenny Thorton. His mom had recommended going out with other girls and Tom had said, "If I can't have Jenny, I won't have anything." It was true.  
  
Tom would have to live his life alone, forever if Jenny went to the Shadow World. He knew it. Nobody could replace someone like Jenny. Even Julian knew that and Julian had the pick of anyone in the world.  
  
If Jenny could have gone to anyone, Tom was glad it was Julian. Not that he liked Julian or anything. But Julian would be the only person who could match his love for her.  
  
"I love you, Jenny." Tom said. "It's important that you know how much I love you."  
  
"I'm sorry things had to turn out this way." Jenny said softly. She was overcome by emotion. She was so tired. She couldn't live in the normal world anyway. Not anymore. Not when she knew about Julian. She'd miss all her friends. It was awful that she couldn't say goodbye. "Tell them I said Goodbye. Tell them I love them and I'm sorry."  
  
"You don't need to be sorry for anything, Jenny." Tom said fiercely.  
  
"If only." Jenny whispered.  
  
Summer was sobbing loudly. "This isn't fair!" She wailed dramatically. Jenny turned to face her with upset dark eyes.  
  
"Jenny," Summer said. "What'll I do without you? What'll any of us do without you? We need you."  
  
Jenny spluttered.  
  
"This is very emotional and all but," Came a cool voice. "It's time Tommy and Summer to go."  
  
"I will never forgive you for this." Said Jenny with a voice filled with sardonic hate.  
  
Julian shrugged, seeming completely unaffected by the whole scene.  
  
Then everything changed. All with a handsome smile from the Shadow Man and then her friends were gone.  
  
All that remained was the echo of Tom's voice as he screamed out for her.  
  
* * *  
  
Everything was different now. Tom had no sense of minutes or days or weeks. Nothing mattered anymore. The only thing that mattered was Jenny.  
  
He had failed his exams. All scholarships and offers from colleges had been withdrawn. Tom lost his good looks and had become a complete mess. He tore himself up all the time and his dreams were never absent of Jenny's tears and Julian's mocking laugh.  
  
Tom didn't have a job anymore. He didn't get out of bed until late afternoon and that was only to transfer to the couch. He lived with his parents still and his mother cried every night about her disappointment as a son while his father shouted at him that he was a mess, a flunk and a disgrace.  
  
Tom hated himself. He hated life. He would have a drinking problem if he bothered to go to the pub. Tom's life was over. He needed Jenny and without her, he was a L-O-S-E-R.  
  
Dee had lost all interest in fitness and preferred pigging out on junk food. She had become fat and lazy.  
  
Michael and Audrey had split up, as Audrey had become serious and severe while Michael became irritating and hysterical. Summer had become twitchy and secretive.  
  
Zach had stayed away from them all, wallowing in his own misery. He had loved Jenny in his own quiet way. He worked in a garage from time to time, living life absently. 


	16. The End

Um. I think somebody thought that that was the end. Silly, I said there'd be three more parts, a while back, remember. Well. here we go. Sorry, this isn';t much better but hey, I've tried.  
Part sixteen - The Ending  
She took one step at a time. She felt dazed and confused. Her face was wet as if she'd been crying. She felt stiff and sore. Her nails were all cracked as if she'd scratched something and her eye felt swollen.  
  
Where am I?  
  
She was strangely dressed. Well, that was wrong. She was wearing tight comfortable jeans and a silky black top that was very flattering. No, what she meant was, it was strange. She was wearing a necklace that looked extremely expensive.  
  
The top showed her flat stomach and there was a gold chain around her belly also. On it was a gem. It was blue and reminded her of something. She was wearing a gold ankle bracelet as well. She must be rich. A handbag was around her shoulder. She didn't open it. It didn't really occur to her.  
  
What she did stare at was a lovely gold ring on her finger.  
  
She continued walking slowly. She didn't really know where. Following a path that seemed laid out in front of her.  
  
A car stopped in front of her. Oh, she was on a road. That was strange. The door opened and gingerly she got in.  
  
It was a taxi.  
  
The taxi drove on slowly. Shouldn't she give the driver directions? No, the driver seemed to know where he was going.  
  
A song played on the radio.  
  
". Like the songs that the darkness composes to worship the light.."  
  
Now, why did a stupid seventies song make her little fingers tingle?  
  
The car stopped in front of a nicely decorated house. She took a step out of the car then looked back of the driver. She couldn't see his face as it was shadowed by his cap but somehow she knew.  
  
"Thank you." She didn't just say it politely like you would to a normal taxi driver. She put meaning into the words and looked straight at him.  
  
The driver made a small gesture, a curt nod and she knew then, that he understood.  
  
She walked up the path then and knocked softly on the door.  
  
Someone answered. A young man.  
  
His eyes widened in shock and he made a choking sound. She looked at him, dazed and uncertain.  
  
Then his face cracked into a smile while his eyes shone with tears and he looked like someone she knew before.  
  
"Tommy?" Her voice sounded strange.  
  
"I never thought I'd see you again." He said. His voice sounded familiar.  
  
"Uh, can I come in?" She wasn't sure what to do. Tom nodded. He seemed a little dazed himself.  
  
She was making her way into the living room when he put a warm hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Jenny? Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm okay."  
Jenny walked into the Living Room. She was greeted by four familiar faces. Silence filled the room the minute she stepped in. She looked at them all individually. Tom followed her in.  
  
Another minute went by and then she felt strong arms embrace her. "Dee." She whispered.  
  
"Jenny," She looked over and saw Zach. He seemed to be shaking. He reached an outstretched arm towards her. "Is it really you?"  
  
The red headed one was shaking her head. She looked the least familiar. The other blonde curly haired one was sort of familiar. Autumn? Summer? What was her name? Summer, that was it.  
  
The red headed one was looking uncertain. Summer looked half-delighted and half- confused. Suddenly they all threw their arms around her.  
  
They felt like strangers to her. Bewildered she stood there. She didn't hug them back.  
  
They let go of her and Tom gestured towards a seat. "Sit down."  
  
She did and stared at them all. They stared at her as well. Her green eyes were unfocused and glazed over as Tom said, "How did you get away?"  
  
She lifted her green eyes to him and said, "What?"  
  
"Oh Jenny," The red headed girl said. "Did he hurt you?" She put her hand by Jenny's eye.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Doesn't she remember?" Summer asked.  
  
"Remember what?"  
  
"What's the date, Jenny?"  
  
"Uh, late April."  
  
"She doesn't remember!" Tom said.  
  
The red headed one, Audrey, Jenny decided, cracked a smile.  
  
"Where's Michael?" Jenny asked. It wasn't that she knew who Michael was. A picture wouldn't come to her head. But she knew that he must be there.  
  
Zach was already on the phone.  
  
"I don't understand. Jenny, don't you remember anything about Ju-" Summer started.  
  
Dee interrupted her. "Ssh! Jenny doesn't need to know any of that. Not anymore."  
  
"Really?" Tom looked up at Jenny hopefully.  
  
"Don't you see? They must have had some sort of fight and he must have felt guilty or something. She would never have been able to escape. He would have stopped her before she got here. You see, he let her go. At the end of the third game, he'd been letting her go but then he died and wanted her back. But he must have let her go."  
  
Tom put his lips on Jenny's. She kissed him back softly. That seemed familiar enough.  
  
"She doesn't need to ever know. He made her forget so she wouldn't have to be afraid anymore."  
  
"Yes!" Cried Audrey.  
  
Michael hopped in the front door. "Jenny!" He shouted. Then he saw her and just looked.  
  
She looked at him as well. Michael hadn't changed. He seemed familiar enough.  
  
Then he broke down in tears. "Oh Jenny." He sobbed.  
  
Audrey came over to him and put her arms around him. "It's okay. She's back now."  
  
Would everything be okay? Jenny didn't know. She was confused and disorientated but she knew that would pass. She knew she'd be able to live her own life like normal.  
  
Would Tom and her always stay a couple? Jenny didn't know. She loved him so they would always be best friends.  
  
Would Audrey and Michael get back together? It seemed likely. Would they last? Jenny didn't know. But we'll always be friends, she thought fiercely. Things might change in the future but we'll always be friends.  
  
That was the one thing Jenny did know.  
  
Julian watched from the Shadows. His love for Jenny was stronger than his want for her. He had hurt her in The Shadow World and he would never forgive himself for that. He would have eventually really hurt her. He was too different. There was too much darkness in him. Jenny's light had faded. Julian could never imagine Jenny's light fading. He had to let her go.  
  
I do love you, he thought. I'll always be with you. Wherever you go, whatever the time, I'll be there. Watching in he Shadows.  
  
Julian would always love her.  
  
Animals would never bite Jenny. She would never get attacked or mugged. She would walk around the bad parts of town like usual and would feel safe because somewhere deep down, she would know that the Shadows would protect her.  
  
Tom would never know what her ring said now. He would never ask and Jenny would never tell him. She would never take it off. Sometimes, her friends would wonder if she ever did remember the games. She would never say she did but she would be different.  
  
When she'd go home, Joey would be so delighted he won't be able to talk. Her parents would be full of love and they would not send her to the Mental House again. A doctor would visit her every week and Jenny would tell him nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
Jenny and her friends would open up her purse to find a lot of money. She would buy a nice car and spend lots of money on new clothes, what she wanted to wear, not Tom.  
  
Tom would never reveal that he had seen everything in that mirror in the first game. He had seen Jenny with Julian personating Zach. Jenny would go back to school and do her exams. She would not need to study, as she would know it all already. She would grow up, happy and strong and protected.  
  
The Shadow Men had wanted Jenny. That was another reason for Julian to let her go.  
  
They would have got to her at some stage and killed her. Now, they couldn't touch her.  
  
She wasn't in their territory now. As for Julian, he didn't need the Shadow World.  
  
He'd live in the Shadows of Jenny's world forever, loving and protecting her.  
  
Nobody would tease Jenny now. Nobody would touch her because deep down, they would all know, that if anyone messed with Jenny, there's the devil to pay. 


End file.
